A New Hope
by WeirdPineapple12
Summary: Harry is found in the care of abusive Dursleys by none other then Severus Snape. what should Snape do? *a mentor fic*
1. Chapter 1 Escape

Pain, immense pain was all he felt. Hands and feet frantically hammering him, scratching him. Making him bleed and bruising his pale skin. His nose out of joint, his glasses broken. _'A normal summer day at the Dursleys' _thought The-Boy-Who-Lived.

In the hallways of Hogwarts, a frustrated Severus Snape loomed, his cloak billowing out around him, making him look like a bat. Dumbledore had summoned him to his office just as he was about to leave this prison for the summer. Snape found himself in front fo the gargoyle far sooner then he truly wished. "Chocolate frogs" he muttered, _Dumbledore uses some stupid passwords._

"Ah Severus" came Dumbledore's voice as soon as Snape had entered his office.

"Headmaster" replied Snape respectfully.

"Please take a seat, lemon drop?" offered Dumbledore.

"What is this about Dumbledore, I was just about to leave this nightmare" growled Snape, who was still standing, his arms folded across his chest, looking livid.

"As I was aware Severus, and I apologize, but I need to ask a favor." Dumbledore stared at Snape his eyes twinkling, Snape looked intrigued but uncertain at the same time, which was a strange sight to see. "I would normally ask someone of the order but they all seem to be busy I'm afraid, and so you are my last hope Severus."

"Just out with it Dumbledore," moaned Snape becoming more annoyed by the second.

"I need you to go and check on Harry at privet drive for me. It has been a week and so it is around the time I would normally check on him, but I have no one to go for me."

"No"

"Severus"

"NO! Absolutely not!"

"Please Severus" pleaded Albus.

"NO! I have enough of the brat during the school term. I am not going to visit him during my time off to see the brat being spoilt senseless by his muggle family!" spat Snape.

"Please Severus, you are going in that direction to get home anyway, it wouldn't hurt, but if you can't do a simple task like that then I guess I'll have to find someone else, Good day Severus, have a good summer." stated Dumbledore sounding very disappointed. Snape cringed, he hated hearing his mentor disappointed in him.

"Albus wait" Dumbledore stopped just in front of his door about to leave, his back still facing Snape. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to drop in on him" sighed Snape.

"Good" beamed Dumbledore turning to face him. "You should really try to get on with the lad, you would be invaluable to each other! You both are so alike!" Snape just glared at the headmaster in response. _He would never get to know that spoilt, fame hungry brat, and they were definitely not alike!_

"If that is all" he said after a long, ominous silence. After receiving the expected answer of yes, Snape turned and fled the headmasters office, storming down the halls, making his way to his beloved dungeons, with thoughts of the insufferable headmaster on his mind.

It was a windy day, and bits of litter flew around the streets with a mind of their own. Snape looked very out of place walking down this simple street, his black robes a stark contrast against the almost fluescent green grass. There was something about this street that put Snape on edge. He wanted to get out of there as fast as he could. At least he wouldn't have to talk to the boy, just a quick look through the window to see if the boy was okay, which of course, he's going to be living with this family, the spoilt brat, thought Snape. He stopped outside the house, just staring at it looming above him. It looked no difference to the identical houses around it. Snape breathed in deeply, the sooner he looks the sooner he could be back at his comfy home. He stepped forward, walking down the driveway.

_When will it stop?_ Pleaded Harry silently. His uncle was pummeling Harry as hard as he could, not caring whether he left marks or not. Harry scolded himself, _why did he argue with back with his uncle when he refused him breakfast, this is a lot worse then just missing one meal_, he thought angrily.

"Your not worth the air you breathe never mind the food I get for my family, taking out of my Dudley's mouth just to give you a room to sleep in and you have the cheek to ask for more! Your worthless!" Vernon sneered in between each blow.

"We should" hit "never" hit "have" hit "taken" hit "you in!" he wheezed. "You're a worthless little cun-" The window suddenly smashed open, shattering the glass and sending it everywhere.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING? WHO ARE YOU?" Vernon roared.

Severus Snape now stood between the wheezing and angry Vernon Dursley and a very vulnerable small boy.

Snape had seen enough, he had to do something to save the boy from his fierce uncle. He couldn't believe it, all this time the spoilt Boy-Who-Lived had been a case of child abuse. '_Maybe they had just got fed up of treating him like royalty, or he had simply done something wrong,_ Snape tried to reason in his head. But eventually he had to admit that nobody, not even potter, deserved the treatment the boy was receiving at this very moment.

Harry knew somebody had intervened as the rain of kicks and fists had stopped, but who, he had no idea, his vision was blurry as his glasses were broken and eyes bruising. A gentle hand gripped the upper part of his tender arm, tightly, making him wince in pain. The hand loosened, only slightly, before Harry felt like the ground underneath him had disappeared, his body felt like it was in a vice, getting tighter and tighter until he felt he could bare it no more.

As quickly as the body crushing pain started, it was gone. The floor beneath him returning a foreign floor, unnaturally cold and hard. Harry blinked around him, trying to taking in his surroundings and make his eyes focus but it was no use.

"Potter" came a harsh, tone.

"Potter are you awake?" tried Snape, worried that the boy had become unconscious in the process of apparition.

"What happened?" asked Harry meekly "where am I?"

"This is professor Snape and I have apparated you to my home." came Harry's reply. _Snape? Snape had saved him from the Dursleys? The day just gets fucking better_ thought Harry.

"Can you stand potter?" asked Snape, reminding Harry that he was sprawled out across the floor and probably looked terribly stupid. He blushed, tinging his cheeks a slight pink, which was hardly noticeable under the blood and bruises.


	2. Chapter 2 safety

1**Authors note: thank you to all of you who reviewed :) - as I should say I do not own any rights to characters etc. :)**

Chapter 2

Harry rose to his feet, breathing in deeply, trying not to humiliate himself further in front of his dreaded teacher. He could feel Snape's unmoving gaze on him._ Watching for anything he can make fun of, _thought Harry angrily. When he was on his feet, he just stood staring at what he thought was Snape.

"Potter I am over here" sneered Snape, from somewhere to Harry's left.

"My glasses are broken." pointed out Harry as he turned trying to locate Snape.

"Repairo" came Snape's voice as Harry's glasses, that were hanging off his ears, had now fixed themselves back to new, balancing on the bridge of his nose. And Harry could finally see around him. He stood in the middle of a small room, there was a window in the wall facing him, with a desk and chair underneath. To his left was a dark green sofa, the only bit of colour in this bleak room. To his right was a fire place with a big clock on the mantle. Snape stood in front of him, his arms folded across his chest, he was wearing his black teaching robes and his hair fell around his face. Harry felt a bit out of place, battered and bruised, wearing Dudley's massive hand-me-downs that had big rips in, showing the bruises underneath. Harry looked up suddenly feeling uncomfortable, realizing how close to Snape he was stood. Mindlessly he took a step backwards from his potions professor. Snape's eyes narrowed fixing Harry with a glare.

After a silent moment of the pair staring at each other, Snape disappeared out of a door behind him. Harry looked up at the clock on the mantle, wanting to know what time it was, as he was having trouble keeping his eyes open, 6pm it read. Footsteps could be heard getting closer to the room, and Snape reappeared, caring a mixture of potions in his arms.

"Here potter drink these" said Snape, thrusting bottles in to Harry's hands. Harry just stood there dumbfounded. _Was Snape trying to poison him?_ Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Its not poisonous boy" he sneered reading Harry's mind.

Harry hesitated once more before gulping down the potions. He had to do his best not to gag, they tasted disgusting!

"Are you hungry?" asked Snape when Harry had finished. It took Harry a couple of minutes to decide that after all that had happened, he wasn't really hungry anymore, just tired.

"No" replied Harry.

"No what?" demanded Snape.

"No thanks?" asked a confused Harry.

"Here in my own home Potter, you will address me as sir or professor, is that understood?" sneered Snape.

"Yes _Sir_" Harry stated sarcastically, Snape raised an eyebrow but did nothing about it.

"Follow me" ordered Snape as he turned around and walked out the door. "Now Potter" Slowly Harry moved to the doorway to find Snape staring at him from halfway down a long corridor. Snape continued to walk down the corridor, Harry had to race to catch him up as he had started to walk up a grand staircase. At the top was another long corridor that had a lot of closed doors along it. Only one door was open and from what Harry could see it was the bathroom.

Snape stopped directly outside of a door, that looked identical to all the rest, at the end of the corridor. He opened it, swinging the door wide open. Harry peered in. Inside next to a wall was a bed, there was a wardrobe in one corner and a desk and chair in another. The curtains were pulled tightly over the windows making the room dark. _The room was decked out in slytherin colours, which was so typical of Snape_, thought Harry.

"You are to stay in here for now." Snape told Harry. "You are not to go into any other rooms apart from this one and the bathroom. You will find a change of clothes in the wardrobe, I expect you down for breakfast at 7am exactly or you will not get anything. Any questions?" rushed Snape trying to get out of there as fast as he could. He needed to contact Dumbledore.

"What happens now professor?" asked Harry biting his lip, as he looked up at the foreboding man.

"Potter I am not a seer, I cannot predict the future, what happens now is entirely up to Dumbledore." replied Snape sounding annoyed. Harry just nodded looking dejected, since Snape had rescued him, he had allowed himself some hope of never having to go back to the Dursley's again,_ but if it was up to Dumbledore then there was no doubt that he was going back, Dumbledore obviously knew what was going on, and must have thought it was okay, otherwise he surely wouldn't send him back time and time again, would he?_

Snape was just glaring at him, so he took his cue and walked into the guest room. Snape shut the door behind him and walked off down the hall, he had a few fire calls to make.

Harry slowly walked around the room, taking in its size, colour and furniture, stopping at the bed and sitting down. It was soft and so soothing against his sore skin. On the pillow Harry found a pair of black pyjamas. He changed quickly, not wanting to look at the damage his uncle had caused. He sunk under the duvet. Soon his tiredness over powered him and he fell into a fit full sleep.

Snape paced back into the living room, where he and Harry had been a few moments ago, in time to see the headmasters face in the fire place.

"Severus I need to speak to you." ordered Dumbledore, as he disappeared without hearing Snape's reply. He sighed inwardly, knowing somehow that he was in trouble with the headmaster. He grabbed some floo powder and emerged in the headmasters office.

"Take a seat" Dumbledore said sternly. Snape did as he was told, taking a seat in front of the headmasters desk. "Severus" Dumbledore started. "I told you to check on Harry, not to remove him from a safe environment. Where is the lad now?"

"He is resting in my guest room at the moment. He was not in a safe environment! How can you say being with that animal of an uncle as safe, I certainly don't want to be anywhere that you deem safe" retorted Snape.

"What are you talking about Severus. He is perfectly safe with the muggle family, they look after him." said Dumbledore confused. Snape's gaze narrowed on the headmaster. Dumbledore was either in favor of child abuse or simply didn't know what was happening to Potter, which most certainly happened in the past thought Snape, no wonder the boy was so thin. Snape doubted that Dumbledore agreed with child abuse, so it was clear he must not know.

" you do not know of the boys situation?" asked Snape.

"Situation?" Dumbledore's brow wrinkled in confusion.

"His uncle beats the him senseless, Potter is a case of child abuse, how could you of all people not know that? Asked Snape becoming angry. It was times like this that made him relise the all powerful Dumbledore, really wasn't all that powerful.

"You found the lad being hit by his uncle and so you rescued him?" Dumbledore said trying to make sense of it, how could he have missed this? Dumbledore's eyes changed potraying his true feelings of sorrow.

"Yes" replied Snape quietly.

"May I see the memory?" asked Dumbledore. Snape looked blank, he didn't really want to re-watch the memory, it brought back far too painful memories for him. "Please Severus I need to see this." Snape nodded and Dumbledore waved his wand, summoning his pensive on to the space on his desk. Snape pressed the tip of his wand to his temple, slowly tugging a thin, silvery substance out. He lowered it into the pensive on the desk where is swirled ominously. Dumbledore just stared at it, breathing slowly tyring to calm himself down, readying himself for what he was about to see, it was going to be bad if it made Snape take Harry back to his home.

"Would you a company me Severus?" He asked.

Snape sighed, he knew that was coming. He nodded at the headmaster and rose to his feet. Dumbledore took one last deep breathe and plunged into the memory closely followed by Snape.

Snape didn't concentrate on what was going on around him, he knew it all too well, the memory of a very vulnerable Potter had played around his mind many times while he dealt with the real Potter. Instead he concentrated on Dumbledore's expression. A fixed straight face, the entire way through. Only his eyes, giving away his true emotions, becoming sadder by every passing second the memory continued.

When the memory Snape had interrupted the scene, Dumbledore spoke up.

"Enough" He whispered hoarsely, only loud enough that Snape only just heard. Dumbledore exited the memory with Snape in tow.

The headmaster sat down heavily in his chair, looking older then he had ever done. All Snape could see when he was looking at him, was a weakened old man he truly was.

"Potter asked me what happens now, and now I also find myself wanting to know. What happens now, headmaster? Are you going to send him back?" asked Snape.

"Send him back? Do you really think of me as a monster, Severus, that was capable of doing that? No, he'll have to go somewhere else, only now I've got the problem of where." replied Dumbledore tiredly. "There is 6 weeks of summer left."

"couldn't he go to the burrow?"

"No the Weaslys have taken a trip abroad this summer to vist relatives."

"Miss Granger then? I'm sure she'd taken him in."

"Miss Granger is doing a muggle thing called skiing in the french Alps. No there is nobody left." replied Dumbledore. An awkward silence settled between the two. Snape shifted awkwardly in his chair, Dumbledore was staring at him intently.

"Are you okay, headmaster?" He asked.

"What would you say to having Harry stay at you home this summer? You can teach him occlumency, which he needs to learn, and I you would be doing me a favor?" asked Dumbledore. Snape just looked at him, appalled.

"How can you even ask me to have that brat staying in MY house? Its not just their holiday headmaster it is mine to and I am not having it ruined by that Potter!" yelled Snape.

"Severus, just think about what you promised Lily,"came Dumbledore's reply.

"Don't you start that one!" yelled Snape getting angrier. Dumbledore looked sternly at him.

"You have to teach him occlumency what ever, so whether you would like to stay at home and teach him, or you will have to come back to hogwarts to teach him, because here is where he will end up. You are not getting out of teaching him" said Dumbledore. Snape just glared, angry at being ordered about. "I take it you are staying at home. Thank you Severus. You may leave now."

Snape got up and passed through the floo. Back in his own home he sighed loudly. He crossed over to the desk, opening up a draw and pulling out a glass and bottle of fire whiskey and pouring himself some. He sat down heavily in an arm chair, dreading the up coming weeks._ Teaching Potter occlumency was going to be hard_, he thought to himself. He sat there until the early morning. Little did he know upstairs where Potter was a sleep, all was not well.

**Authors note: hey, hope you enjoyed it :) please review! I'd love to know what you all think! :D**


	3. Chapter 3  Friendship?

1**Author's note: Hey, hope your enjoying it :) sorry this chapter has taken longer then the other two, its been quite hectic lately. Like everyone else who writes fanfic, I don't own any of these characters etc...**

Chapter 3

Snape was awoken abruptly to find himself, sat in an armchair in the living room. The fire had long since gone out and been reduced to glowing embers. The clock on the mantle read 2:30am. Snape looked around, the room was intact and the wards would have warned him if anybody had even set foot in the yard. So what could have woken him, he thought. Then he heard it. It was so quiet he wasn't even sure he had heard anything, he got up and opened the door, instantly turning the lights on. There was nothing in the hallway. _Too much fire whiskey_, Snape began to scold himself till he heard it again, only clearer now the door was open. It sounded like screaming, coming form upstairs. It took a moment or two for Snape to realize who was upstairs. Potter.

"Shit" muttered Snape as he sprinted down the hall, it sounded awful, but if someone was attempting to harm the boy, surely Snape would know, his wards would have alerted him, wouldn't they?

Snape had reached the door, flinging it wide open, to find Potter thrashing around in his bed.

"Potter" shouted Snape trying to wake him up. "POTTER!"

When that didn't work Snape grabbed hold of the boy by the shoulder and started to shake him. This only made things worse, Harry started to move more, swinging his arms and legs wildly, managing to punch Snape in the face, hard enough to split his lip, sending blood cascading down his chin. "Gah, insufferable BRAT! Spat Snape holding his hand up to his lip. _He's asleep he didn't know what he was doing_ Snape reasoned with himself. _He's still an insufferable brat. _Snape glared at the boy still screaming in his sleep. There was only one thing for it. Snape summoned a glass of water and proceeded to empty its contents over Harry's head.

Harry awoke from his nightmare coughing and spluttering, instantly getting up and backing in to the corner his bed was in, until he felt the cold, solid wall against his back. That dream had been so real, it felt like somebody had actually grabbed hold of him.

Harry was very shaken, Snape could clearly see the boy was still physically shaking.

"Potter you are no longer in your dream, come back to reality" said Snape calmly. Harry looked up only just making out the potions professor. Snape handed him his glasses and he looked up at a calm snape, who appeared to have a cut lip. Harry looked horrified._ How could I forget to cast a silencing charm? _Scolded harry, _but then why isn't he angry if I woke him up?_

"What happened to your lip professor?" asked Harry carefully.

"You did, Mr Potter." Harry looked even worse then he did before after Snape had replied. Snape felt a small pang of guilt, _hurting the boy while he's vulnerable is not good Snape._ He thought to himself. "Follow me" ordered Snape as he exited the room. Harry's gaze followed him out of the room for a few moments before he got up and walked out of the room. Snape lead Harry down the stairs and in the opposite direction to the living room. Snape walked straight into a room at the very end of the corridor, leaving the door open, ready for Harry to enter. But instead the boy waited outside. Snape looked over his shoulder realizing that the boy hadn't followed him into the kitchen.

"Well Potter?" asked Snape glaring at him.

"Well what professor?" asked Harry still very shaken.

"Well why haven't you followed me in boy? Did I not tell you to follow me? Get in here and take a seat" said Snape pointing to the chairs by the dining table. Harry just blinked at him from his glasses.

"But you said I was only to allowed in the bathroom and the guestroom" replied Harry challengingly but still clearly exhausted. Snape glared at him, such defiance, so much like his father he snarled in his mind.

"Alright Potter, I also give you permission to come in here, and any room I tell you to from now on, got it?"

"Yes sir" replied Harry, stifling a yawn as he went and took a seat. Snape turned around and started messing with equipment on the counter top. Harry just sat there and watched, not entirely sure what Snape was doing.

He turned around with a mug in one hand and a dish in the other, placing them in front of Harry, before going and taking a seat across from him. Harry just looked down and the mug of hot chocolate and dish of small squares of chocolate.

"They'll make you feel better." muttered Snape, arms folded across his chest. Harry just looked up blinking at him through his glasses, making no attempt to move.

"Potter" uttered Snape in a threatening tone. Eventually he picked up the mug, its warmth radiating through his hands, calming him. He too a sip, allowing the bitterness of the chocolate run over his tongue. _Snape obviously doesn't like things sweet, _thought Harry. Slowly but surely Harry drained the mug of its contents, while Snape just sat and watched him drink it all down. The only noise to be heard, was the small clunk, as Harry placed the mug on the table. He looked up expectantly, not sure what to do next, the silence had become unbearable to him. Snape's unmoving gaze was starting to nerve him.

"And the chocolate." ordered Snape.

"I'm ok" protested Harry, feeling a little queasy after the hot chocolate.

"That was not an option Potter," Sneered Snape. Harry glared at him.

"If its alright with you professor, I won't, unless you want to clean puke off the floor." replied Harry with a hint of sarcasm. There was a brief look anger, flash across Snape's face, but as soon as it showed itself it was gone, back to its guarding blank expression.

"What happens now professor?" asked Harry, curious to see if Snape had spoken to the headmaster.

"Your going to eat that chocolate, we are going to discuss your dream and then you are going straight back to bed" replied Snape nonchalantly.

"Wh-what?" stammered Harry, horrified by the mention of actually telling Snape about his dream. "I-I meant more along the lines of the rest of this summer." swallowed Harry.

"Well, unfortunately for you and I, Potter, the headmaster feels that it would be beneficial to for you to stay here and learn occlumency." growled Snape, hoping his dissatisfaction for the idea was showing fully. Harry just looked appalled.

"But I tired learning once before and that failed! Couldn't I just go to the burrow instead?"

"As much as I do not desire to teach you occlumency, never mind having you stay in my home, it is not my decision. The headmaster has decided this is what is going to happen and so that is what will happen. And in any case your friends are away in a foreign country." ground out Snape, slowly.

"Oh" Harry had forgotten they had mentioned going away, he was too worried about going home for the summer, then remembering what his friends had said on the train ride home.

"While you are here you will also get all of your summer homework finished, and I will be teaching you dueling techniques, and so when you do face the Dark Lord, you have a chance of lasting at least a few minutes. We shall also work on your abysmal potion skills. Once you have completed all your summer homework I will set you assignments to get on with." finished Snape. Harry just stared, eyes wide._ This is going to be one long boring summer. Be greatful, Harry, its better then spending it with the Dursleys. _Thought Harry.

"Can I ride my broom?" asked Harry hopefully, _it'll be the only fun thing I get to do this summer, if he lets me. _Snape looked at him disgustedly.

"Most certainly not Potter, I will not have you flying around the yard, where perfectly ordinary muggles can see you! You may not realize, Potter but we are no longer surrounded by the wizarding world, we are in the heart of the countryside, in muggle territory." growled Snape managing to glare at Harry whilst raising his eyebrows.

Harry just looked at him, livid. _Serves him right, what a stupid thing to ask. Stupid boy, _thought Snape.

"Now on to other subjects, Mr Potter. That nightmare of yours, describe it to me." ordered Snape.

"Describe it?" asked Harry, uncertain of what he had heard.

"Yes, boy, describe it, what happened." Snape said becoming more annoyed by the second.

"I'd rather not, sir" replied Harry trying to sound as polite as possible._ Please don't make me talk about it_, pleaded Harry with his mind, hoping that somehow, Snape just understood and wouldn't push the subject further.

"Its not up for debate, Potter, I am starting to lose my patience." Snape retorted.

"Its private, professor, so just drop it," said Harry, drumming his fingers on the table top, irritating Snape further.

"As I said it is not up for discussion, talking about it will help you to calm down, and stop the dreams. So your either going to tell me, or I shall use force." threatened Snape.

"Please, I don't want to talk about it." pleaded Harry. Snape looked at him, as if he was trying to do some difficult calculation in his head.

"You need not talk about it, you could show me," He stated, with an air about him that reminded Harry of Luna Lovegood.

"I could?" asked Harry unsure.

"If you wish" sighed Snape, dealing with boy was becoming hard work. "First follow me."

Snape rose from the chair he was sat in, opposite Harry, and walked out the door, vanishing from view. Why does he keep walking off, moaned Harry as he followed the professor out of the door. In the corridor the was no sign of Snape, as Harry started walking down it. But on far down on his left, Harry spotted an open door that had not been open before.

Harry walked in slowly, to find a small room, with a fire place and chairs, it looked identical to the livingroom Harry had been in earlier, only instead of one sofa, sat two armchairs. Snape was sat in one, facing the door, leaving one opposite him free for Harry.

"Sit" ordered Snape. Harry sat immediately, not wanting to be there any longer then he had to be, in Snape's presence.

"Now, Potter, this dream, I take it you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes."

"Right then, I shall enter your mind and view this dream, bring it to the fore front of your mind, Potter." demanded Snape.

"Wait, you'll view the dream only?"worriedly asked Harry. Snape just raised an eye brow.

"Trust me potter, I have no interest in your _treasured_ memories." Snape sneered. "Ready Potter?" Harry just nodded, worried about seeing the dream again. "1...2...3"

Harry could feel Snape pushing in to his mind, breaking in. It was almost like a wall crashing down all around him. Then breaking in to the memory of the dream.

_Fat, thick fingers squeezed Harry's shoulder far to hard, piercing the skin, almost to the point of making it bleed. In this dream he was a 10 year old Harry, before he had even been at hogwarts. "What did you say you little Cunt!" roared Vernon Dursley. The little Harry swallowed hard, not daring to repeat what he had asked for and anger his uncle any further. From a chair at the dinning room table, Dudley was laughing, a cruel and spiteful laugh. The young Harry just shuddered. That was the 'straw that broke the camels back' for Harry and Vernon started to punch and kick the tiny Harry. He pined him to the floor with his enormous weight and started to take off his belt, to hit Harry with. From somewhere came his aunt's high pitched voice, yelling at him, telling him how worthless he was, after a while Dudley started to join in with his mother, making snide comments and laughing at him. Vernon got up off harry, belt in hand and started to hit Harry. The small boy cried out in agony as it came down and hit his soft skin, leaving a big red welt._

Harry felt Snape retracted after the first use of a belt, he let go of the memory, trying to squash it down in to the very back of his mind. He looked up into Snape's eyes.

Snape was horrified by what he had seen in the boys memory, it had brought back so many bad memories that eventually, he just couldn't cope any more. He felt queasy and self conscious as the boy was sat a mere meter away from him trying to control his breathing.

Harry sat with his legs pulled up to his chest, staring at the floor, while he tried to get his breathing back under control again. Eventually he looked up and met Snape's slightly softened glare, analysing every inch of him.

"That wasn't even half of the dream" stated Harry coldly, after a while under Snape's uncomfortable watching eyes. Snape didn't answer him, just watched him, unmoving, trapped in his own hell, made of memories.

"Professor?" worried Harry.

"Yes?" asked Snape realizing the child was talking to him.

"That wasn't even half of the memory." He repeated.

"I know, Potter," sighed Snape, "I'm guessing it gets worse?"

"Yea" said Harry sheepishly. Snape just breathed in sharply, _how much worse does it get? _Wondered Snape. "What happens now?" asked Harry.

"We talk about what we just saw." replied Snape. "Do you often have nightmares?"

"Mostly" said Harry, going pink with embarrassment. "I didn't mean to wake you, I normally cast a silencing charm, but I guess I was just so tired that I forgot to this time. Sorry." said Harry, getting quieter with each word he uttered. Snape just nodded watching him.

"Potter you don't need to apologize for having nightmares. From now one you are not to cast a silencing charm, I need to hear you, incase anything bad happens."

"But won't be angry with me, if I wake you up all the time? Please let me cast it" begged Harry, horrified at the idea of waking Snape up in the night.

"Potter, were you punished before for walking people up with nightmares?" inquired Snape. Harry didn't reply, but his new shade of red, gave snape the anwser he was looking for.

"Potter, here is not the same as at your relatives house, here I won't beat you for waking me up, I will help calm you down, as I have done, have I not?"

"I suppose." he replied quietly. Harry yawned tiredly, too exhausted now to hide it from Snape. Slowly, Snape rose from his chair and went to a cabinet on the wall. Harry could see various bottles filling the cupboard. Snape handed one to Harry.

"Here drink this"

Cautiously Harry asked "what is it?"

"It is a dreamless sleep, Potter designed to get rid of your dreams for the night." Harry gulped down the liquid, not bothering with what it tasted like. He just wanted to sleep. "Now I think it is time, we both retire." suggested Snape as he walked to the door. Harry didn't have to be asked twice, he instantly got up and followed Snape, up the stairs. Snape turned to face the locked door, opposite Harry's room. So that is where his room is, thought Harry.

"Goodnight Professor." Snape looked at him, eyebrow raised.

"Goodnight Mr Potter." Snape returned. Harry turned and entered his room, heading straight to the bed and landing on it heavily. As soon as his head hit the pillow Harry was out for the count, in a lovely peaceful sleep.

Snape changed in to his sleeping clothes, and sat on his bed, legs tucked under the duvet. He was worrying about Potter. In the past few hours, Snape's perception of Harry had changed entirely, he still didn't like the boy, but Snape started to realize he wasn't quite what Snape thought he was. _There will be quite a bit of work to do, can I really be the person right for the job? Was Dumbledore right about leaving Snape in charge of Potter? _Worried Snape. He settled down to sleep, he had to be up in a couple of hours anyway. He turned out the lights and stared into the huge emptiness of the darkness. Slowly falling asleep.

**Author's note: Hope you enjoyed it! This one is slightly longer then the other two chapters have been. Please review, they are really helpful to me, to know if you guys are enjoying it. :) next chapter soon! :P**


	4. Chapter 4  Lunch?

1**Hey sorry its been so long, I am continuing the story its just finding time to write it! D: thank -you to those who reviewed :D love reading them, plz enjoy this next chapter! :) **

Chapter 4

Harry woke to the quietness of the house. There was nothing, no clock ticking, no birds singing. Slowly he got up and crossed to the wardrobe, opening it wide. Inside he found a pair of black combo pants and a short sleeved, green t-shirt. Picking up the items of clothing, Harry crossed to the bathroom, locking the door behind him and getting into the shower.

The cool spray of the water on his sore skin, felt like heaven. He stood there for what felt like hours, just letting the water flow, before getting out and dressing himself in the clothes he had found. They didn't fit too well, the t-shirt was massive on Harry and the trousers barely stayed up._ They will have to do_, sighed Harry. Unlocking the door, Harry stuck his head out, checking that the hallway was clear of anybody, and ran full pelt back in to his room. He didn't fancy running into Snape and seeing the potions professor more then he had to at the moment. He looked around his room, for a clock, or something that would tell him what time it was, Harry didn't really fancy trying Snape on not giving him any breakfast. Looking for a clock was futile, there was nothing in that room and so Harry decided he would go down stairs early._ He cannot be mad at me for being early, _thought Harry. Coincidently Harry's stomach rumbled loudly as if to agree with his decision. With much trepidation, Harry carefully made his way down the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible, which was sort of impossible, as nothing could be heard, you could hear a pin drop. This made Harry more nervous.

The early morning light shone through the large windows that ran down one side of the hall. The floor was made of wood, with a thin carpet that ran down _it. I don't remember any of this, _confused Harry continued down the hall, approaching the open door at the end, beyond he could see the kitchen he had sat in, in the very early hours of that morning. Pushing the door wide, as he entered, he found Snape sat at the head of the table reading the daily prophet. The table was set out with various types of food, from sausages and bacon, to cereal and toast. Harry's mouth watered just at the sight of it. Quickly he sat opposite Snape and began to delve in to the food.

After Harry had nearly finished eating, Snape folded up his newspaper and set it down next to his empty plate. Whilst picking up his cup of tea, Snape watched Harry like a hawk. Harry shivered unintentionally in Snape's cold gaze, he hoped Snape hadn't noticed. But he had.

"After you have finished your breakfast, you will go to the library and get on with any homework you have been set for during summer, until lunch. After lunch we shall start working on potions, we might as well make use of you being here to improve your potions grade. After 2 hours of this we shall make a start on occlumency. Understand?" came the cold, sharp shrill of Snape's voice.

Harry just stared open mouthed. This summer was going to be as boring as ever._ At least your safe, _Harry scolded himself.

"Are we clear?" asked Snape.

"Yes"

Snape's eyebrows arched. "Yes?"

"What?" replied a confused Harry.

"Yes what?" growled Snape through gritted teeth. _This boy will be the death of me_, he thought.

"Oh, yes Professor, _Sir_" retorted Harry.

Harry tried to make his food last as long as he could to try and prolong the start of his homework. After 10 minutes had passed and Harry was still on the same sausage, Snape started to get suspicious. Watching him, eyebrows raised. After a few minutes Harry could feel Snape's gaze on him and looked up to meet the professor's icy glare.

", as you are eating so slowly I guess you must be full?" Snape let the question hang in the air. Harry looked down till his gaze just rested on his plate, looking like a little boy just being caught doing something he shouldn't be. He didn't want to tell Snape the truth, for then he would surely be in trouble.

"Yes Sir," Harry said mournfully.

"Good, come along then." ordered Snape as he vanished out the door in a swish of robes. Harry followed glumly. He was not looking forward to today.

Snape was already starting to make his way up the staircase as Harry rushed to follow him. They walked down the corridor, past the bathroom and the guestroom Harry was staying in. At the very end of the corridor was a large curved bay window with seating and a round table, it looked rather comfortable. Snape stopped at the very last door on his left and opened it, disappearing inside. When Harry reached it he was quite shocked to find that there wasn't a room behind the door but a staircase that curved around to the right out of view. Harry paced up the stairs to find Snape leaning against a desk facing him, clearly waiting for him to enter.

"I don't have all day potter!" He snapped. He was stood in a large room that looked like it spread across the top of the entire house, looking up at the ceiling it was slightly curved at the edges making Harry realize that this was the attic. The three of the walls were covered in books. The wall were so high that there was a balcony that ran round all three walls in the middle of each. The west side wall, wasn't really a wall, it was a massive glass window. In the middle of the window was a glass door that led out onto a small balcony that had chairs a tables on it.

"...and finally you should find everything you need here to do all your assignments. Are we clear?" asked Snape. Harry just gawked at him.

"Are you listening Potter?" Snape asked through clenched teeth, _God its got to get better then this otherwise he is going to be a lot of hard work_, He thought to himself. Harry just stared at him wide eyed as Snape let out an annoyed sigh.

"I said, when I expect you to be doing your work your are not to leave this room, except to use the bathroom or to come down for lunch. I DO NOT expect to find you wandering the house exploring, there is plenty of parchment, ink and quills over there" He pointed to a big cupboard behind him in the place where a bookshelf should have been next to the ladder to the small balcony. "Lunch will be served exactly at 12, it will last for 1 hour, when finished you shall return here and finish whatever work you were working on. At 2:30 I will come up here to check over your work for the day, when I am satisfied we shall go down to the dueling room and practice your skills at occlumency. Am I clear?" Snape repeated monotonously. _Trust Snape to have everything sorted down to the very second._ Thought Harry, as he resisted the urge to role his eyes.

"Yes Professor, one question though."

"What is it?"

"Can I go out on to the balcony?" Harry asked pointing towards the glass.

"Yes I suppose so, it does get hot in here. You'll find your bag on the desk. I shall be in the cellar if you need me." replied Snape, his voice trailing off as he walked down the stairs. Harry heard the soft click of the door shutting behind the potions master. Finally he was alone.

He decided it wouldn't hurt to get some work done and besides, if he didn't Snape would have his head. So Harry slumped down at the desk Snape had just been leaning on and finding his bag on it pulled out all his parchments and quills, looking at his list of homework. He decided to get rid of the most boring pieces first, and pulled out his text book on Troll wars. Professor Binn had been especially mean this summer and set a 7 foot essay on the great Troll wars of 1350-1450. Harry sighed. Reading 100 years worth of Troll history did not sound like fun. Opening his books, dipping his quill in his ink, Harry settled down and began to write.

Time passed. Harry stopped to rub his wrist. He had been writing for what felt like hours and he was beginning to feel rather hungry, when he heard the door to the stairs open and the tell tale signs of someone walking up the stairs. Snape appeared.

"I'm here to check your work." Snape stated.

"What? What about lunch?" Harry asked confused.

If Snape's eyebrows could get any higher then they already were, then they would have disappered into his hair line.

"It is 2:30 exactly, I guessed at lunch you decided to work instead of coming down to eat, I take it I was mistaken then?" Snape stated sarcastically.

"But there's no clock in here and I was so busy doing this assignment.."

"well then , tomorrow you will just have to be a bit more careful." chided Snape. Harry just glared at the potions master. "Now hurry along, it seems we must now be practicing occlumeny." With that he turned and exited the room leaving Harry muttering under his breathe about the dreaded potions master.

**Coming next: Harry's occlumency lesson. What will Harry accidently reveal? How will Snape cope?**

**Hoped you liked this chapter, please please please review! They mean an awful lot to me as I don't write much fanfiction so its great to find out your views! :) And keep reading! Thanks guys! :D**


	5. Chapter  Occlumency

1**Hey so here's chapter 5! :D I'm sorry it took so long, I've got exams coming up soon but after that I've got nothing so I'll be free to write as much of this fic as I can! :D hope you enjoy this! Disclaimer: These are not my characters, I'm only playing with them :)**

Chapter 5

Slowly Harry rose to his feet. He really did hate that slime ball of a potions master. He followed in Snape's wake, realizing that he didn't actually know where it was he was meant to be going.

When Snape realized Potter had finally followed him out of the study, he smirked slightly amused with the boy. He didn't believe the boy when he said he had been working all day, Potter didn't have the attention span for that. Snape should know, Harry manages to mess up simple potions that only require 10 minutes of careful watching. So what had he been doing? There wasn't much to do in the study and Snape was positive the boy hadn't left the room the entire day, otherwise he would know. So what had he done all day?

Harry dragged his feet under him. He was dreading this lesson. Together, in awkward silence, Harry followed Snape like an upset puppy. They walked down the stairs, through the long halls and down another set of stairs, Harry hadn't even noticed before.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked as anxiety started to build in the pit of his stomach. Snape just ignored the question and instead opened the thick door in front of him and waited for Harry to follow him in. When he did, Snape slammed the door shut and motioned to the only piece of furniture in the room, a small stool. Harry went and sat as he gapped around the room. There was nothing but brick. Just four plain brick walls with the thick door in the middle of the wall to his right. That was it. Now Harry was scared.

"Professor?" Harry piped up tentively. Snape was in front of Harry with his back to him facing the wall. With a sigh, he turned round and gave Harry one long, hard stare.

"Listen to me, Potter." Snape spat, Harry tensed, Snape had gone from seeming to be as calm as he normally was (which wasn't very calm) to being seething full of anger.

"Neither of us want to be here." Snape continued, "So I have a few rules. Whatever happens you are always to treat me with the upmost respect, we are finshed when I dismiss you and only then and finally you are to do everything, everything I tell you to. Are we clear?" Harry looked at him confused. The rules sounded like the rule Harry always had to obey anyway with teachers.

"Potter?" Snape probed, a scowl plastered across his face.

"Yes Professor." Harry stated, feel if he brought up his thoughts now, who knows what Snape would do to him, especially in a room with no real escape.

"Good, now we shall begin." Snape removed his outer robes leaving him stood in a pair of smart trousers and a white teaching shirt. He hung the robes on a hook on the back of the door, Harry had failed to notice.

"Now, Potter, Occlumeny is the art of stopping people getting into your mind and seeing your true thoughts and memories. It is like trying to build a wall around your most private memories or feelings, stopping people from gaining access. Ready?"

"I..."

"Legillimens!" Shouts Snape pointing his wand at Harry.

Harry's mind swirled as Snape flicked through his thoughts. It felt like someone was flicking through a book of all his memories. _Harry was whizzing through the air at a quidditch match- He was talking to the snake at the zoo- Vernon was screaming at him that he was worthless, while Dudley sneered in the corner. _Snape retracted.

"OI" Harry roared, blinking through the tears brought up by the last memory.

"Language Potter!" Snape replied firmly.

"You didn't even give me a chance!" Harry carried on getting up from the stool.

"The Dark Lord isn't going to warn you when he wants to delve into your inner thoughts, you won't even know its coming!" Snape glared.

"I don't even know what I'm doing y-"

"Legillimens!" Roared Snape before Harry could fully answer.

_Dobby was bashing his head against Harry's beaten up wardrobe - Harry was 7 as Vernon came charging into the kitchen roaring about breakfast and threatening to beat Harry till he was sorry - He was 5 and Dudley accused him of stealing one of his toys that he had broken, Vernon dragging him upstairs by the scuff of his neck and beating the hell out of him. _

Snape withdrew with on a ragged breathe, watching Potter closely. He was breathing hard and looked a little shaken up. For some reason Snape had the overwhelming urge to soothe the boy, that surprised him as he squashed down all caring thoughts and locked them away back in to the deep hole where they come from.

Harry wanted to scream!  
>"will you quit it!" He yelled.<br>"your never going to learn if you don't practice" Snape replied trying to keep calm, Harry was defiantly starting to get on his nerves and he could feel a headache starting to form. He raised his wand.  
>"leg-"<br>"noo-" Harry interrupted,  
>"-illimens"<p>

A two year old Harry was shoved under the stairs by his aunt and locked in, he was crying as she hurled abuse through the door at him - Harry was 4, it was Christmas and he sat watching he's cousin open all he presents while his aunt and uncle cooed at him while Harry was forced to scrub the hall floor - his uncle was pinning him to the floor while he took his belt off, Harry couldn't remember how old he was but he remembered what hurt the most was what his uncle was saying, it was when Harry truly found out how much his uncle and aunt hated him.

Harry lay on the floor panting for his breathe. Snape had to withdraw. He couldn't take it anymore, it brought back far too many bad memories for him. And the emotions the boy was feeling. It shocked and moved Snape more then he would care to admit. He expected the boy to feel anger at his aunt and uncle for doing what they did, just like Snape did for his father. But all Harry had felt was guilt and pain.

Harry was seeking in anger.  
>"You bastard!" he yelled feeling like Snape was forcing him to relive moments in his life that he had worked hard to forget.<br>"Excuse me?" Snape glared, his tone dark and menacing. Something in the back of Harry's head told him to be careful but he was far too worked up to stop himself.  
>"You bastard!" He roars again, picking himself up off the floor.<br>"That's what I thought you said" Snape hissed through clenched teeth. Before Harry knew what hit him, Snape had firmly grasped the upper part of his arm and started to yank him back through the door, up the steps in to the main part of the house.  
>"Where are you taking me?" Harry demanded, trying to keep up with Snape's pace as the man was half dragging him along the floor causing pain that spread down through Harry's right arm."I'm going to teach you to watch your language once and for all Potter!" Hissed Snape as his vice like grip got even tighter to Harry's alarm. He dragged him up the stairs past his bedroom and through the boy in to the bathroom following closely behind him.<p>

Harry could feel his nerves starting to build again as Snape shut and locked the door behind him, making it harder for Harry to do a quick escape. Snape placed the lid of the toilet down and motioned towards Harry to sit on it. When the boy just stood there gawping at him with his mouth open like a fish Snape growled.  
>"Sit Potter"<br>Harry did so instantly, Snape's tone telling him he's not joking. With Harry sat down, Snape turned and addressed the sink, turing on a tap. From Harry's view he couldn't tell what was happening which made his heart beat faster.

At last Snape turned to him with one hand behind his back.  
>"Open your mouth boy" He ordered. Harry just raised an eyebrow in question, what was Snape up to?<p>

"Now" he roared making Harry jump out of his skin and opening his mouth wide. With that Snape grabbed Harry's chin and shoved a bar of soap in to the boy's mouth.

Harry squeaked in disgust, immediately spitting the bar out and leaning forward to spit into the sink.  
>"What do you think you are do?" He asked scowling at the professor.<br>"Potter, this is my house, and in my house I can deal with you anyway I like. I will not tolerate your use of fowl language and every time you use it, you will receive the same punishment until you learn, have I made myself clear?" demanded Snape. Harry just stared at him.  
>"Would you rather I use another method to deal with your language boy? I could slap some sense into you over my knee, but coming from your background I thought this would be more suitable" Snape paused a second watching Harry turn a deep shade of red. "I guess I was wrong then follow me" and with that Snape walks to the door and starts to unlock it.<br>"Wait!" called Harry full of panic, "Maybe I was a bit hasty!"

Snape allows himself a private smile of amusement. He knew the boy wouldn't refuse the punishment if he knew the alternative Snape was planning.  
>"Very well , you will keep that soap in your mouth fro 1 minute per word. You said it twice. And so that is two minutes by my watch." Harry pulled a face but kept silent. Snape walked over and replaced the soap back in to Harry's mouth.<p>

The two minutes seemed to last eternity, but at last Snape signalled that Harry could spit it out, which he proceeded to do and then spent the next ten minutes trying to wash out the disgusting taste. Snape allowed himself a private smile of amusement and then walked out of the door whilst calling to Harry over his shoulder:

"I hope you remember this next time you use fowl language. I expect you down stairs in ten minutes in time for dinner, or as you know, you won't be getting any to night." and with that Snape let the door slam behind him, letting Harry know he had left.

Harry rose from the sink have managed to get as much of the taste out as he could. Damn Snape. Harry was still seething. How dare he look at Harry's private memories. He shook his head. _Yes but if they were so private you should have managed to block him out_, the pessimistic side of Harry chided. _I'll look a book up on it tomorrow_, Harry promised himself. He walked out of the bathroom and into the room where he was staying. He took out a piece of parchment and wrote a reminder to himself. With that he decided it was probably time to go down and meet Snape for dinner.

Harry walked into the kitchen at sat down at the end of the table where he sat earlier that morning. A house elf appeared next to where Snape was sat at the end of the table, carrying two plates. It placed on in front of its master then made it's way down the table to place the other plate in front of Harry.

"Thanks" whispered Harry trying for Snape not to hear but loud enough for the house elf too, although much luck that would do him the way the house elf's eyes just bulged out of its head. And unfortunately for Harry, Snape had heard.

"Dismissed" Snape ordered addressing the house elf. There came loud "pop" and the elf was gone.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't talk to my house elf like an someone above your status. You'll give them an ego that I will then have to deal with! Do it again and you'll be sorry, we clear?" Snape's glare was burning a hole in Harry as he just stared down at his meal.

"Yes sir" replied Harry not really wanting to cause any problems at the moment. Snape just nodded his head and started to eat his meal. A few minutes later Harry picked up his fork and wolfed down his meal.

When they had finished, Snape rose to his feet. Harry looked up unsure as what to do.

"After a meal I usually retire into the sitting room. You may join me if you like. Or you can just go upstairs to bed, its your choice." Harry looked at Snape confused. Was he giving Harry a choice? He hadn't done that properly yet. He looked around and found a clock on the wall. It was 9pm. And Harry really did feel tired.

"I think I'll just go to bed, sir" Harry replied. For an instant Snape looked slightly crest fallen, but as soon as it was there it was gone leaving Harry unsure if he had seen it at all. Snape nodded slowly.

"Alright then. Goodnight." Snape said rather civilly that had Harry feeling even more unsure about the man. Was he trying to be nice?

Harry just nodded his head and followed Snape out of the room. Snape stopped just past the stairs and watched as Harry walked up them without a backwards glance or a single word. When Harry had disappeared out of sight at the top of the stairs, Snape continued down the corridor into the sitting room, making straight for his cabinet and pouring himself a tumbler of firewhiskey. Trying to teach Harry Occlumency, even if the lesson hadn't lasted long, had taken the toll on him.

Harry walked into the bathroom and got ready for bed before returning to his room and settling down in to bed. The day had felt like a rather long one and all he wanted to do was sleep. He reached over for his wand which he left on the bedside cabinet, putting up a silencing charm just incase his screams woke Snape. Taking off his glasses and placing them next to his wand, Harry just drifted asleep. His entire body tired from all the work he had done that day.

Snape just sat in his chair downing glass after glass of firewhiskey. Harry's memories had moved something deep within him and he felt sorry for the boy and all the things he had been through. Snape couldn't understand why but he felt slightly hurt when the boy had declined to accompany him and then walked off to bed with out a backwards glance or a sinlge word. Although he doubt he desreved any of it. He had always been horrible to the boy, ensuring that the boy hated him. He had made his life a misery since the moment he came to hogwarts and a single day in Snape's home and one or two acts Snape considered as signs of 'kindness', were not going to fix their relationship. He sighed, downed the contents in his glass and poured himself another.

At 11pm Snape had decided he better stop or he wouldn't be able to wake up in time in the morning and that wouldn't look good to the boy. He groaned as he lifted himself out of his chair and made his way upstairs to bed. Once changed he finally climbed on to his bed and passed out into nothingness. But he couldn't help but feel something nagging him that there was something wrong. Somewhere...

**Authors note: I hope you enjoyed that! Really sorry again that it took so long! Please review! I find them so helpful to know if you guys are enjoying it or not! :)**


	6. Chapter 6  night

1**Sorry this ones a shortie :P plz review :)**

Chapter 6

Snape woke with a start. The room was pitch black and there wasn't a single sound. Snape would have been able to hear a pin drop, if he had one. So what was the problem? His wards would have alerted him if someone had tried to enter the house or even stepped foot in the garden. Unless...unless Potter had decided to take a midnight stroll around the house and had accidently made a noise or done something that would have resulted in the professor waking up. _Brat_. Thought Snape as he got out of bed and grabbed a dressing gown from out of his wardrobe, before proceeding to walk in to the hall, turning on the light as he went.

When he reached Harry's door he carefully pressed his ear against the white washed wood, trying to decided whether he would be able to catch the boy awake in bed. But as he listened, he started to panic slightly. Not a sound came from the room, not the sounds of someone moving around, not the sounds of a boy who had just walked round his home in the dark, not even the sounds of someone sleeping could be heard. It was as if the room was empty._ I've got you now Brat_, thought Snape thinking of ways to punish Harry when he found him out of bed at this time.

He pushed open the door, expecting to see an empty bed, but what he found surprised him more. Laying the bed was Harry Potter, but it wasn't a peaceful sleep. The boy was failing around, lashing out at invisible people with his arms and legs. What horrified Snape the most was that the boy seemed to be silently screaming. Hurriedly Snape walked into the room and was immediately hit with sounds of Harry's screams. _STUPID BOY! _Snape roared inside his head. Quickly he cancelled Harry's silencing charm before stepping up to the bed and placing one of his cool hands on to Harry's searing head. The boy seemed to calm down a little, so Snape tried to talk to him out of his sleep.

"Harry" Snape called gently. The look on Harry's face turned to one of puzzlement and nearly made the professor laugh if he wasn't so worried about the boys welfare.

"Harry!" Snape called more sharply hoping that it would work. It didn't. Harry continued to thrash about in his sleep, his screams getting louder. That's it, thought Snape. He reached over grabbing one of Harry's arms and pulled him into a tight, restraining hug, so that Harry could no longer move and do injury to himself. As soon as he did it, Snape immediately regretted it. Harry's screaming got louder and turned into proper words, pleading with an invisible attacker.

"Please" Harry screamed, "please...leave me...alone!"

"Harry, it's professor Snape."

"Pleaseee."

"Harry" Snape whispered into his ear.

"I...I won't do it again..."Harry whispered. Snape took a sharp intake of breathe. What was Harry dreaming about that was so bad?

"Harry, it Professor Snape, your safe here...with me." he whispered. Slowly Harry stopped thrashing around and his screams became quieter and quieter until they stopped all together. After a few minutes his breathing had evened out and Snape started to think that Harry had drifted into a more peaceful sleep. Carefully he tried to remove his arm that had been wrapped under Harry, gently laying him on to his bed. Just as he lifted his body weight off the edge of the bed and started to pull the blankets up over the sleeping boy, Harry's eye's opened slowly.

"Professor?" he questioned.

"Shhh" came Snape's reply. "Just wait there a second while I fetch something ok?" Without listening to Harry's reply, Snape slipped out of the guest bedroom and into the bathroom retrieving a calming drought and a dreamless sleep potion.

"Harry drink these for me" He asked sounding like a concerned parent, as he walked back into the room. Harry slowly sat up with his back to the head board. Every couple of minutes his head drooped as he struggled to keep himself awake. Snape popped the lids off the two bottles and place both on the bedside cabinet. He sat down on the edge of the bed and reached up grabbing Harry's chin to stop him from drooping whilst he gentle lifted each bottle to Harry's lips, helping him to take the potions.

"Lie down and sleep now Harry." ordered Snape with a soothing tone, when Harry had drunk both bottles. As soon as Harry's head hit the pillow he was asleep again. Snape carefully pulled the sheets back up over the sleeping boy, tucking them under his chin.

"We will have to talk in the morning about you use of that silencing charm." He told the boy though he doubt he had heard. Wearily he made his way back into his room and lay under the covers. It took him an hour or so before he could drift asleep again, all he could think about was the boy now soundly asleep in th guestroom down the hall.

**Sorry its short, more coming soon! Next chapter: a visit from Dumbledore! :)**


	7. Chapter 7 apology?

1**Hey, guys I'm so sorry its taken so long for me to update, but I kinda just lost hope and inspiration with this story. But all your reviews liking the story so far I thought I'd better finish this :) so please enjoy this new chapter :) **

Chapter 7

The light streaked into the room through the curtains. The birds sang their own little tunes in their own little world outside the window. Harry woke from one of the best nights sleep he had in a very long time. He couldn't remember much about what happened during the night, but he did remember someone whispering to him and the next minute snape was there helping him drink down various potions.

Later that morning Harry found himself sat at the desk in the attic, a light breeze blowing in through one of the french doors he had opened. He was working hard on his transfiguration homework, when movement across the room caught his attention. Snape loomed in the door way.

"Sir?" Harry questioned leaning back in his chair, expecting Snape wanted something as he didn't normally see the older man up here.

"Headmaster Dumbledore is here. He would like to talk to you" replied Snape with a subtle air of mystery only Harry could probably guess what the headmaster wanted to talk about. Harry got up from his working space, closed the door and followed Snape downstairs to the awaiting headmaster.

"Ah Harry, my boy, do please come sit." smiled Dumbledore when the two entered the room. Harry went and sat opposite Dumbledore, whilst Snape preferred to stand, leaning against the desk behind the headmaster.

"How are you doing Harry?" Dumbledore asked caringly.

"I'm fine headmaster." Harry replied politely.

"Sleeping well?" Dumbledore pressed, knowing the lad struggled to sleep some nights at hogwarts. Harry, however, felt paranoid and pressured into answering. Of course Snape had told the headmaster about his nightmares. Why wouldn't he? Probably had a good laugh at his expense too.

"Very well thank you." Harry almost spat. Snape glaring at him stopped any extra snide comment from being added to his reply.

"He's suffering from nightmares Headmaster." Snape said still glaring at Harry for not being truthful to Dumbledore. So he hadn't told dumbledore. Harry felt some of the anger that had built up, disappear slightly. Dumbledore nodded at the information, but kept his eyes, full of sadness and sorrow, on Harry.

Dumbledore spent a few minutes just staring at Harry, like he was trying to work out what he wanted to say, making Harry feel rather awkward. He started to fidget in his chair, annoying Snape more and more.

"Harry..." Dumbledore eventually started, "I know that any apology I give will never be enough for you to fully forgive me, but Harry, I am so deeply sorry." he continued, his voice laden with sadness, tears threatened to spill from the old man's eyes.

"Apology for what?" asked Harry looking bewildered.

"Don't play stupid Potter!" Snapped Snape, clearly annoyed that the boy seemed to be playing games.

"Severus!" Berated Dumbledore turning to face the professor. "Harry, do you honestly think I would have left you in the care of the Dursleys if I knew what they were doing to you? I'm apologizing that I never found out, never...never noticed" Dumbledore voice broke with emotion towards the end of his sentence and a tear rolled down his cheek as he faced the boy again.

Harry tried to take a deep breathe. He just felt his anger soar through the roof. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Dumbledore didn't know. All those years he suffered abuse at their hands, thinking that Dumbledore had put him there for a special reason, that he wouldn't leave him there if it wasn't absolutely necessary and here the old man was telling him he never knew, never even noticed.

"If I could take it all back, all the pain Harry, I would. But I can't. I just wish I'd found out sooner." Dumbledore continued. It all just pushed Harry over the edge.

"You don't think that I wish I COULD TAKE AWAY ALL THE PAIN!" Harry shouted, starting off talking normally but gradually shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Potter! Calm down" chastised Snape.

"Calm down? Calm down? I spent years putting up with the hell, that the Dursley's dragged me through all because I thought you knew! I thought you knew and that there was some special part of the plan in Voldemort's downfall that meant that I had to put up with all they did! Like it WAS SOME SORT OF TEST!" Harry continued again ending in a shout, only this time Snape didn't have the heart to chastise him again.

"AND YET YOU CLAIM TO KNOW NOTHING! THE ALL GREAT POWERFUL WIZARD DUMBLEDORE COULDN'T WORK OUT A SIMPLE ABUSE CASE?! YOU BASTARD! THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE!" He screamed like he'd never screamed before, his anger fueling him the entire way.

"POTTER!" yelled Snape, picking on Harry for swearing. Dumbledore just sat there, watching the young boy, taking all his anger, Dumbledore knew he deserved it all. Tears streamed down his face.

"I can't fucking believe that you couldn't bloody well see, I always came back, year after fucking year, skinny as hell because they did nothing but starve me ALL summer. And all you can FUCKING SAY IS THAT YOUR SORRY!" Harry continued, his anger still at boiling point.

"What do you want me to do Harry?" Dumbledore asked quietly, holding his hand up at Snape to stop him from doing anything.

Harry looked at him exasperated. His anger evaporating at that question. There are so many things he wanted Dumbledore to do, but in reality there was nothing the elder man could do. Tears started to roll down his cheeks and sobs wracked his body.

"Fix it." He whispered. Dumbledore looked to Snape to see if he had heard what Harry said. Snape just looked as confused as he felt.

" What Harry? A little louder." Snape asked, his voice uncharacteristically caring, causing Harry to look up directly at him staring into the elders eyes.

"Just fix it, go back and save me from it all. Find me someone who actually wants me, someone who will give me my own room and not make me sleep under the stairs. Someone who will happily make sure I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Someone who's there to make it all better when I hurt myself and not hurt me. Someone who'll tuck me in at night, stay by me when I'm scared, read me..." Harry took a deep breathe tears pouring heavily down his face, he was barely able to control the sobs that shook his body. "To read to me when I'm little." He finished.

Dumbledore couldn't control the tears that flowed, whilst listening to Harry, wishing he could grant the poor distraught boy his dream but he couldn't go back and fix what was wrong. Even normally hard faced Snape, was finding it hard not to let his tears flow, although he did manage it, years of placing a mask over his emotions allowed him to hold on to himself. But he couldn't help the feeling of his heart breaking, he wanted to do nothing more then comfort Harry, pull him into a hug. But Snape couldn't help but to stop himself. For fear of what the headmaster would make of it, but also for fear that Harry would reject him, the slimy bat of the dungeons.

"Harry, my lovely, lovely boy, I want nothing more then to do that for you-" Dumbledore started.

"Then do it" Harry interrupted, staring at Dumbledore, his arms wrapped around himself, holding on tightly.

"My dear boy, I sorry, but I can't" pleaded Dumbledore. Harry was asking the impossible of him.

"Then you've failed me." Harry replied turning his gaze from the floor to his headmaster. With that Harry walked off out of the room, slamming the door as hard as he could behind him and stormed off upstairs to his room. Leaving a shocked speechless Snape and a very distraught Dumbledore.

Harry stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him. Flinging himself on to the bed, he let his sobs take over and cried for what felt like hours, but in reality was only a few minutes. Not long after he was starting to calm down, he heard soft foot steps on the stairs and a light tapping on the door.

"Harry" came a whisper from the other side of the door. It was Snape.

"GET LOST!" Harry screamed at the closed door. The foot steps receded, going back down the stairs. Harry started to regret his reaction when he heard the door down stairs close. Snape hadn't deserved that. Yeah he was a normally a horrible, mean bat of the dungeons and yet he hadn't said or done anything that was mean to him. He'd taken him in, given him a bed and food even though its clear the Professor doesn't like him. And just then, when Harry was feeling his most distressed and vulnerable Snape had actually sounded caring. He didn't even storm in yelling at him when he had just shouted at him to go away. Heck, Snape had even cared for him during his nightmares and had never said anything in the morning.

Harry was just about decided that he was going to go down stairs and talk to Snape, hoping that the headmaster had left because he really couldn't face Dumbledore right now, his bedroom door creaked open. There stood in his door way was the headmaster.

Harry just sighed. Oh great he was going to have to face the headmaster a little sooner then he'd wished.

"I'm sorry Harry, I just want to see that your okay before I leave." said the Headmaster, who was no longer crying. "Can I come in?"

Harry just nodded his silent approval before turning and sitting down on the edge of his bed. Dumbledore closed the door behind him and went and sat next to Harry on his bed.

"Like I said before Harry. I'm so deeply sorry and I don't ever expect you to full forgive me for what's happened. But if your okay with it, I want us to work on just being okay with each other. Ok Harry?" Asked the older man. Harry looked up at him.

"I...I don't really understand Professor" admitted Harry confused.

"What I mean Harry, is that I want you to work on not hating me. I'm not asking you to like me or for your friendship back, just for now, to be...mutual." Dumbledore clarified. Harry looked down at his lap. He was starting to feel a little guilty for his outburst, although it felt good at the time, the adrenalin was starting to leave his system leaving him feeling guilt and emptiness.

"I don't hate you Professor. I was just angry. That's all." Harry sighed.

"I know lad, I know." Dumbledore wrapped his arm around Harry, pulling him to his side in an embrace. "I want you to open up a bit with Professor Snape. He understands what your going through more then you know. And he's a lot more caring then you think." asked Dumbledore. Harry just looked up at him smirking. "I'm serious Harry. Could you try for me?" He asked seriously.

"I'll try Professor." Harry sighed in agreeance.

"That's my boy." Dumbledore smiled a sad smile and rose to his feet. "I have to go away for a while, run some errands. You'll be fine here in Professor Snape's capable hands. I'll see you when I get back." Dumbledore said over his shoulder.

"Bye Professor." Harry called to Dumbledore's retreating back.

Downstairs Snape had allowed himself a minute or two to deal with his haywire emotions whilst the headmaster dealt with Harry. The distraught boy had brought everything Snape had worked hard to bury in the back of his mind straight to the front. He wanted nothing better then to comfort the boy right now instead of Dumbledore, but of course Harry didn't want him. Why would he? Ever since Snape had first seen the boy, he had reminded him so much of his father that Snape had worked hard to make the boy hate him right from his first ever lesson. Watching Harry cry, with those eyes that remind him so much of Lily. His Lily. He'd nearly lost his composure and wrapped the boy in a tight embrace. He looked so young, in the baggy clothes Snape had left him. When Harry was pleading his heart out, for someone to give him all those things he wanted, Snape wanted nothing more then yell that he would do it. He would step up to the plate and care for the boy like he needs, wants, even deserves. The boy had been there for such a short period of time and yet, he had started to change Snape's perception of him within a few minutes of seeing the weak vulnerable Harry getting beaten up by his brute of an Uncle.

"Are you okay Severus?" Dumbledore asked, walking into the room, disturbing Snape's train of thought.

"Huh, yeah I'm okay." He replied, looking up ad seeing Dumbledore stood by the fire getting ready to leave.

"Do me a favor and open up a little bit to him. The pair of you are so alike. And he needs someone right now Severus. Do what you promised Lily and be the person he needs." asked Dumbledore.

"Wh...wha..what if he rejects me?" Snape whispered not really knowing he said it out loud.

"Severus, have some confidence. Your both in a vulnerable place right now and Harry is not the type of boy to cruelly reject someone. I bet if you just try and open up a little more to him, you'll be surprised." Dumbledore comforted, and with that, he through the powder into the fire place and stepped into the flames, disappearing with out another word.

Harry thought about what Dumbledore said and decided to go look for Snape to apologize for yelling at him. Wandering down the stairs Harry eventually found the elder man in the kitchen sat at the dinning table which had two plates set out on it.

"Decided to come down for lunch, this time then?" Snape smirked from his seat at the end of the table. Harry looked round at the clock, shock clearly evident on his face. It was lunch time already?

"Oh, erm, I'm not really that hungry Professor, I think I'll just go back up and finish off my homework." Harry replied, after all that drama, he didn't think he could actually manage to hold anything down right now.

"Nonsense Potter, sit, eat." Snape gestured to the seat opposite him with his knife.

"Really Professor, I don't think-"

"Don't argue with me boy, that was an order not a suggestion. Your going to sit and eat lunch whether you like it or not. In your state of health, I don't think skipping any more meals is going to do you any good. Now sit." lectured Snape. Harry stared at him with bewilderment.

"Yes" He moved to sit down. "Sir" he added as an after thought, not wanting to anger Snape incase he decides to punish Harry for all the swearing and shouting he did earlier. They ate in silence with Harry finishing first. Once he started to eat, he suddenly found himself feeling quite hungry and wolfed the meal down.

"I thought you said you weren't hungry?" Snape smirked, poking light fun at the boy. Harry just smiled knowing when Snape was just joking with him.

"Can I say something sir?" Harry asked, all serious suddenly. Snape just raised an eyebrow at the stupid question. "I just mean will you listen to me for a minute? I've got something I'd like to say." Harry rectified. Snape picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth, swallowing his last mouthful before motioning for Harry to continue.

"I...I just wanted to apologize for shouting at you earlier to get lost. I know it was wrong and you didn't deserve it, but I was angry at the time and not really in the mood to talk at anybody. So I just wanted to say I'm sorry." Harry rushed out all in one, that it took Snape a few minutes to realize Harry was waiting for his reply. Snape nodded at him.

"I appreciate that, thank you." came his reply. "What are you going to do now?" Snape continued.

"Erm... I'm not really sure." said Harry shrugging his shoulders. Snape stared at him for a few seconds looking like he was trying to decide something.

"Why don't you come down to my lab with me. We can start to work on improving your abysmal potions grade?" Offered Snape. Harry really didn't feel like getting yelled at by Snape because he wasn't doing it right only, Snape had gone to the trouble of offering his help and now Harry felt obliged to take him up on it. It only had other homework to do, which he had the entire summer for. He really didn't want to run out of work so that Snape would just give him more. Plus he had to at least give opening up to Snape ago now that he had agreed he would with Dumbledore.

"Okay." Harry agreed.

"Great." replied Snape. "Follow me then and we shall begin." and with that he left the room with a swish if his robes. Harry leapt up to follow him. This was going to be a fun afternoon, he sighed.

**...so that's the end of this chapter, what do you guys think? Please Review, I wasn't sure how to carry it on. :/ Next chapter should hopefully be soon :)**


	8. Chapter 8 - Open Up

**Hey! I'm sorry this has taken so long! I had this chapter all written but then my stupid computer crashed and I had to do recovery and lost everything! So not Happy! Lost 5 years worth of Pictures and documents :/ Anyway I've got it re-written and here it is. Please let me know what you think by reviewing! Thank you! :D**

Chapter 8

"No, no no, Try again!" Moaned Snape as he got rid of Harry's seventh failed potion attempt.

"The first years could do this! What are you doing wrong?"

"I don't know! If I knew that do you think I'd still get it wrong!" Harry yelled at Snape.

"Watch your tone! Now start again, this time I'll be watching closely" ordered Snape. Harry glared at him a few minutes before moving to cut up a few ingredients.

When Harry had made it halfway through the potion without causing a problem, Snape started to think that the boy was actually going to get it right this time.

"STOP!" Yelled Snape. Too bloody soon, he thought.

"What?" asked Harry, paused over the caldron where his potion bubbled away, his hands full of roots.

"What does the instructions say boy?" Countered Snape.

"Add diced root" Drawled Harry.

"Precisely, diced, how big do you think diced means Potter?" Harry just shrugged his shoulders, placing the roots back on the table.

Snape picked up a root and diced it up into tiny squares. "This is diced."

"Why does it matter?" Shrugged Harry, not really caring.

"Because, Potter, Potions are time sensitive. That means the longer it takes for something to dissolve, more chance of the potion going wrong. The roots need to be diced so that there is more surface area for the liquid to hit, meaning less time for it to dissolve." Lectured Snape.

"Oh, Ok" replied Harry, picking up a knife and dicing the rest of the roots up as finely as Snape had done. He then added them to the potion and smiled when it turned the correct colour.

"It worked! I did it!" He exclaimed.

"Calm down Potter, its just a first year potion." Chastised Snape, instantly regretting it when Harry's face of triumph turned down trodden and glum. "We will slowly work up to potions of a higher level, but first you need to be able to manage the basics." That did little to help Harry's expression and Snape was at a bit of a loss of what to do. "Go wash up, we should start work on occlumency before dinner." He ordered. Harry just rolled his eyes as he walked out the door, expecting to be called back and lectured to about rolling his eyes, but Snape just let it go.

'He's getting soft.' Harry thought to himself as he went and washed his hands. Snape was in the cellar room, they had been in last time they practiced occlumency lesson, when Harry got back.

"Take a seat Potter." Ordered Snape as he went to shut the door. Harry obeyed even though he feelings of anxiety had just sky rocketed by Snape closing the door.

"Right, lets pick up from where we stopped lest time-" started Snape pulling out his wand.

"What no Wait!" Panicked Harry jumping up from his stool.

"Legilimens!" Shouted Snape and Harry was launched in to the past.

_Harry was in the park being pushed off a swing by Dudley's friends...Harry tires to save Dudley and himself from Dementors... Uncle Vernon's huge fists are hammering down painfully on his arms for being different, for being a freak-_

Harry's eyes shot open. He was panting so hard it hurt. He was sprawled out on the floor as Snape loomed over him.

"You have to try and keep me out, Potter!" He yells.

"HOW!" Harry counters, his voice the same level as Snape.

"You have to find something that works to keep me out" Snape answered.

"But thats not-" Harry starts,

"Legilimens!" Casts Snape.

_Harry's scrubbing the floor so hard his knuckles were white, while Aunt Petunia screams not good enough at him. A memory of a nightmare blurs into view... Vernon, Petunia and Dudley all surrounding him, screaming that he's worthless, that he's a freak._

"_Good riddance to your parents. They were freaks just like you." Snarled Petunia._

"_Your worthless, you hear! Nobody will ever want you! They don't want something worthless!" Laughed Vernon._

"_Worthless freak" Sung Dudley. _

_The memory Harry woke screaming to banging thuds on the door. Vernon rips it open and jumps on him, a belt in one hand and a slipper in the other and just started to pelt him with them. _

"_How dare you wake us up like this!" He roared._

Anger fills Harry, fuming that he's being subjected to this, being forced to witness all the pain all over again, but was more angry at the Dursleys and what they did. He felt the anger burn through his body fighting its way out. Harry put all of his energy in to the memory him. Imaging what it would be like to fight back, lashing out at the memory Uncle with all his might.

Suddenly the memories changed.

_A small boy shivered in a corner, trying to hide his face from what he was viewing. A large man was towering over a small vulnerable women, lashing out as much as he could. He kept repeatedly punching the tiny women, whilst she screamed out in pain. _

'_Leave her alone!' the little boy suddenly screams, launching himself at the big brute of a man. _

'_How dare you! I'll teach you some manners!' hissed the man, grabbing the boy by the collar and dragging him to a table set up in the corner and pulling his belt out of the loops on his trousers. _

'_Tobais, leave him please, he didn't mean anything by it!" The woman called, from the place he had left her on the floor. _

'_He must learn to respect his elders!' roared Tobias and with that clamped the boy on to the table and brought the belt down as hard as he could, across the lads backside. The tiny boy cried out in pain. _

'_Tobias stop your hurting him!' the woman cried. _

'_That's the point woman!' the man snarled, slapping the woman round the face, when she tried to grab the arm holding the belt. There was nothing she could do, but sit back in a corner and cry listening to her son cry out in pain, until the man decided he was finished. _

_It seemed like forever before the man decided he was finished. He just dropped the boy on to the floor._

'_I'm going out' he called over his shoulder as he sauntered out of the small shack. _

'_Oh my boy, my baby boy,' the woman cried as she cradled her son, who had passed out from his fathers treatment. _

Harry felt himself being hurled backwards, like someone had just shoved him really hard in the chest. His eyes shot open and he found himself sprawled at the base of the opposite wall. Snape was slumped back against the wall facing Harry, he couldn't see his face.

"Sir, What just happened?" Harry asked confused, what had he just seen?

"Sir?" He tried again when he got no response.

"get out.." came a weak reply.

"W..what?"

"I said get out!" Snape roared.

"S..Sir?" Harry shouted, confused, backing up against the wall as Snape lurched closer, his eyes flashing anger.

"I SAID GET OUTTT! GO! NOW!" Snape shouted as loud as he could, making Harry jump out of his skin and bolting as fast as he could for the door. Scrambling to get it open. He ran and just kept running. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he just kept going. Through door after door.

Until he found himself outside, at a large fence that stood to show the end of Snape's garden. He bent panting out of exhaustion. What was that all about? He slumped to the floor exhausted with all the effort of running but also all the energy to took to try and defend his mind. He curled up on the warm grass, basking in the last remains of the sun, before it went down. He closed his eyes, planning on just relaxing a little, but fell asleep.

Snape ran a hand through his hair, trying to squash down all the feelings brought back up by viewing those memories. He slumped against the wall and let himself slide down, so he was crouching on the floor. He was feeling very shaken. Even more so by the way he just yelled at the boy. He actually made a break through and all Snape had done was scare the hell out of him. He slowly stood up and took a deep breathe. He'd better go find Harry, before it got to far out of control.

"Potter!" Snape called as he walked out of the cellar. "Potter?" he called again when he got no reply. Sighing, Snape made his way up the stairs to the guest room expecting to find the kid there, but all he found was emptiness. 'Its ok', Snape thought to himself, 'He's probably in the library.'. With that thought he ascended the stairs up to the attic but the lad wasn't there either. Now Snape started to panic. Where could he have gone?

"Potter?" Snape called, some of his anxiety showing through. "Potter!" He made his way back down the stairs to the ground floor, when he noticed a series of doors open that weren't before. Snape quickly followed the trail, finding the back door open. 'Please say he hasn't done anything stupid!' Snape silently prayed. It was starting to get dark, which made Snape worry even more.

He quickly searched through the garden checking all the exits that existed thinking Harry probably ran off through one of them, but none of them had been altered with. 'Where could he be?' Snape cursed, walking along the back wall of the garden, when he came across a small figure curled up on the ground in front of him.

"Potter? Potter!" Snape yelled, quickly walking up to the child. "Harry?" called Snape, worry evident in his voice as he felt Harry's forehead. He felt awfully cold. Gently he lift the young boy in to his arms and carried him into the house, laying him on the couch. He went and grabbed a blanket, draping it over the child.

"Harry, are you okay?" Called Snape, sighing in relief when Harry opened his eyes and looked up at him.

"Snape? What happened? Where am I?" Harry asked confused.

"What do you remember?" asked the older man, holding his breathe incase the boy didn't remember the occlumency lesson that had just taken place.

"I fell asleep in the garden."replied Harry yawning. 'Damn' thought Snape.

"You felt cold and weren't replying to my calls, so I brought you in here." explained Snape.

"Are you okay now sir?" asked Harry timidly as he sat himself up on the couch, drawing his legs up to his chest. Snape glared at him slightly and took a seat in the arm chair opposite.

"We need to talk about what happened, Harry." Said Snape quietly.

"What did happen?" Harry asked.

"You managed to shove me out of your mind, only what ever emotion you felt was strong enough to push me out and force you in to my memories." Explained Snape, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at Harry. In response the boy paled.

"Th..They were your memories?" stuttered Harry.

"Yes" Whispered Snape, feeling very vulnerable. "Tobias was my father and the woman, my mother."

"S..so the little boy..."

"Was me, yes Harry." Said Snape answering the unspoken question, lowering his eyes in Harry's gaze. The boy looked utterly shocked at Snape's words, turning his head down to look at his fidgeting hands in his lap. Harry couldn't believe it. He was speechless.

"Are you ok?" Snape asked, looking worried. Harry looked up.

"S..s..shouldn't I be asking you that?" Harry asked quietly.

"No, Harry. I have had years to deal with my feelings, where as you have had no more then a few days." Soothed Snape.

"S..so this is what Dumbledore was talking about earlier?" Asked Harry. Snape looked at him confused.

"What? What did Dumbledore say earlier?" He asked, intrigued.

"He..he just mentioned that you understand what I'm going through, more then I understood...and...and...and that you are a lot more caring then you seem." Stuttered Harry, unsure of Snape's reaction. Snape just regarded the boy silently for a few minutes before nodding slowly.

"I know you probably have a few questions for me, but first I think we should eat and then we shall retire in to the study in which I have a deal to make with you. Yes?"

"Okay." Harry nodded standing up and stretching making to follow the elder man who just stood there, seemingly contemplating him.

"I think tomorrow we shall take a trip in to muggle London and get you some better fitting clothes. Those are far to baggy." Snape said, letting his thoughts out loud. And with that snape walked out of the room, leaving a bewildered Harry in his wake...

**TBC**

**What do you guys think? I promise the next chapter will be up much sooner then this one was :L Please review, let me know what you guys think :) **


	9. Chapter 9 Truths

**Ok, next little bit to the story :) it's a short chapter I know, number 10 is well on its way, I just thought this little segment works better on its own then it does with the start of 10, personally, so I've made it a short separate chapter. Hope you like it! Reviews would be greatly welcomed! :D**

Chapter 9

Dinner was a silent affair that passed the pair by quite uneventfully, to which Harry was pretty grateful, he had already had an extremely eventful day that hadn't finished yet. Snape led the way to the study once he was sure Harry had finished eating.

"Take a seat, Harry." Snape said whilst sitting himself down in the opposite armchair. Harry sat, unsure what to do.

"Are we going to talk now professor?" He asked sounding unsure.

"Yes we are. I'm sure, Harry that you have a lot of questions that you would like to ask me. And I have a proposal to you. I want you to listen to me carefully ok?" Snape asked.

"Yes Sir." Replied Harry looking up at the elder man.

"You may ask me any question you like about my past, but in return, for every question you ask, I get to ask one back." stated Snape trying to look as honest as possible. Harry looked unsure.

"How do I know your being honest with me?" he asked.

"You will just have to trust me, as long as you are open with me about what's happened to you Harry, I promise I will be as truthful with you." Soothed Snape. Harry just sat there and stared at him like he'd grown another head. To Harry, it seemed like over night the horrible git of the dungeons who did everything in his path to make his life miserable, was suddenly replaced with a much nicer and caring person.

"What did you do with the real professor Snape?" Harry asked, slightly on the cheeky side. Snape sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Getting the boy to trust him was going to be a lot harder then he had originally thought.

"I am still the potions professor, Potter, now do we have a deal or is it time for bed?" Snape almost spat, not really giving Harry very good options. "Let me warn you that this is the only time I will be doing this, if you turn it down now, you never will have another chance." Snape added before Harry had even opened his mouth.

"I'm ok with the deal Sir." Harry drawled.

"So then, what is your first question?" Snape requested. Harry sat there quietly for a few minutes. He wasn't entirely sure what questions he was suppose to have, he didn't really have any.

"Hurry up, boy!" Snape demanded after some time, becoming impatient. He was starting to feel like he was being interrogated.

"Did anyone ever find out what happened to you whilst you were young?..l..like me?" Harry asked shaking a little. Snape glanced down a second, clearly thinking through his answer carefully.

"No. Nobody really knew. Dumbledore guessed towards my last year at Hogwarts but by then it was far to late."Replied Snape honestly. "My turn-" he interrupted as Harry opened his mouth to ask another question. He sighed and nodded his approval. "Has it always been that bad?" Snape asked, getting straight into the heart of the matter.

"Always. Ever since I remember its always been the same." admitted Harry, Snape nodded his approval at an honest sounding answer and allowing Harry to ask one of his own. "Do you wish someone found out?" Snape looked at Harry quizzically.

"I'm not sure how to answer that Harry." He admitted, looking down for once. "Yes I do in a way for someone might have done something for me, like we are going to do for you. Make it stop. But I had to stay, I couldn't leave my mother with that brute!" Snape sighed. "Has the violence ever been worse then what I witnessed?"

At that question Harry's mind was launched into the past as thousands of forgotten memories flooded back into his conscience. A lone tear escaped down his cheek as he brought his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly. He slowly nodded 'yes' as more tears started to flow down his cheeks. Snape witnessed this and started to worry. Maybe it was a little bit too much to handle right now. Snape rose from his seat and sat next to Harry on the couch. He tried to place his arm around him, to which Harry just squirmed away. Snape sighed.

"Come here, boy, I'm not going to hurt you." Snape whispered caringly. "Harry?" The small boy looked up at him, tears pouring down his face, unsure of what to do. He looked lost and lonely, stuck in his own hell. Snape held his arms open in a loving gesture.

"Come on, Harry." Snape coaxed. Harry looked up into Snape's eyes one last time before rushing to lean against the sturdy body next to him. Snape wrapped him in his arms, holding him close. "I understand Harry. I know just how much you want to be comforted right now. I know I'm not the person you would ever run to for this kind of thing, but I'm always going to be here for you, ok? I'm not going anywhere." Snape declared whilst stroking the boy's hair. Suddenly Harry moved, forcing Snape to let go.

"Who are you?" Harry almost screamed in disbelief.

"Stop it," Snape soothed, trying to pull the lad back into his embrace. "I understand this is hard to take in, I haven't really made it easy for you to trust me, but your just going to have to learn that I'm not just the bat of the dungeons ok?" Harry allowed himself to be pulled back into Snape's open arms, it wasn't like he didn't want the comfort after all.

"Are you going to tell anyone?" Harry whispered.

"What? Tell anyone what?" Snape asked, only hearing a muffled question that Harry asked into his chest.

"Are you going to tell anyone? That I'm not the spoilt brat you thought I was and actually I've spent my life with the Dursleys being abused? Because-"

"Because your worried I'm going to tell the students in my house, who are going to make fun and tease you because of it?" Snape finished. Harry flushed bright red.

"Yeah" He sighed.

"No, Harry, I would never, no matter how low you think I am, I would never do something like that. I had the same fear as a child. That someone would find out. I wouldn't do that to Lily's son." Replied Snape sounding sad.

"Harry, how bad did it ever get?" Snape asked, fearful of the reply.

"The worst thing they ever did, was tell me one Christmas, that I was worthless and that they wished they had never had me. It made me realize how alone I was. All the physical stuff they inflicted on me, never hurt as much as those words." Harry replied, starting to cry harder. At the end of his reply, Snape held on to him so tight, he felt like he couldn't breathe, but strangely he so felt safe.

"How bad did it ever get for you, Sir?" Harry asked, looking up at the elder man though his lashes. Snape took a sharp breathe. He hadn't thought about it for years.

"I feel in that respect I am some what like yourself Potter, what ever my father inflicted on me never hurt me as much as it did when I was forced to sit by and watch him beat up my mother."

Snape felt Harry nod his understanding and looked down to find the lad had closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. The poor boy was exhausted after such an emotional day. Carefully Snape lifted Harry into his arms and carried him up to his room.

He pulled back the quilt and gently lad him down, making sure to change his clothes into pajamas with a simple spell. He pulled the duvet up to his shoulders and removed Harry's glasses placing them on the bed side table. He turned the light out and stood by the door glancing through the gap in the door at his young charge. In such a short time the impossible had happened. He had found out the truth about the great boy who lived, finding him to be in a similar position to himself. But even more impossible or so he thought, he had grown to care for the child in such a short time. Although he was Lily's child, Snape could see parts of Lily in Harry's personality.

"I'm sorry Lil, I let you down, your son got hurt, but I promise I'll step up. I'll protect him from now on. Just like I promised I would!...Good night Harry." Snape whispered, hoping somewhere out in the vastness of space, Lily had heard his promise as he silently closed the door behind him and made his way to his own room...

**I know this is a really short chapter but I think it just works better on its own then combined with anything else. Review and tell me what do you think of snape? I'm not too sure about how caring I've made him, does it work? Any feed back would be muchly appreciated! **


	10. Chapter 10 Shopping

**Sorry its taken a while, I've had most of it written but I just needed to find time to finish it. But I've so busy applying to Uni and preparing for my January exams. But whilst a take a break from studying, I've managed to finish this chapter for you guys to enjoy :) - please review!**

Chapter 10

Harry woke early the next morning to a gentle knocking on his door. He was slightly disorientated finding himself in the nice warm bed, the last thing he remembered was talking to Snape whilst the older man held him tightly to his chest. The thought of it made him cringe in the day light. Snape was probably going to mock him for that.

"Harry?" Came a call from the door.

"Yes Sir?" Harry called out from his bed, reaching over to take his gasses and sitting up.

"Its time to get up. We need to set off soon if we are to get there at a good time." Said Snape from the doorway. "And you must eat breakfast first. I'm not having you miss any meals while you're here, your skinny enough as it is." continued Snape.

"Wha?" questioned Harry, now utterly confused.

"Don't tell me you don't think your too skinny?" asked Snape.

"What?..uh..no..I'll be glad to eat breakfast, but where are we going?" confused Harry. Snape rolled his eyes.

"It seems Mr Potter that you seem to forget things easily. Did I or did I not state yesterday that we are going to muggle London to buy you some new clothes. Everything you have is far too ill fitting. Now come on, get up, get ready! I'll be down stairs waiting, you've got 10minutes." Ordered Snape. Harry sat there dumbfounded as Snape left him to get ready.

"NOW POTTER!" Snape yelled back up the stairs. That got Harry moving fast.

15 minutes later Harry stumbled into the kitchen, dressed ready to leave when Snape decided. He walked over to what was fast becoming his place and started to eat the food that was sat waiting.

"I thought I said ten minutes Potter?" Snape looked over the top of his newspaper, eyebrow quirked. "5 minutes late, tsk tsk. Not again Potter or I'm sure I can find you something not so tasty for your breakfast!" Snape threatened.

"Sorry sir." Harry replied with a smirk, thinking Snape would have taken it away if he was late, not find an unpleasant alternative.

When Harry had finished eating, Snape folded his newspaper and placed it on the table.

"Come then Harry, we must be off."Snape called over his shoulder as he left the kitchen. Harry trailed slowly behind, following Snape out of the front door, into a neat front garden. The house was on a street full of other houses but none of them identical. Snape's house stood out more from the rest as it looked like it was the oldest. Snape set off at a brisk pace down the street and Harry started to find it hard to keep up with the man.

"Where are we going sir?" Called Harry.

"We are going to London boy, is there something wrong with your memory." Snapped Snape becoming irritated by Harry's questions. Harry sensed this and so kept quiet until Snape came to an abrupt halt, making Harry walk straight into him.

"Oof!"

"Watch it Potter!" hissed Snape. "Right, Come here." he beckoned. Harry walked closer from where he moved to, to get out of the way. Snape wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders and clamped his hand down tightly on Harry's upper arm. "Wrap your arms round my waist." he ordered. Harry blushed a deep red.

"Sir I-"

"We are going to apperate Potter to a quiet place in the middle of London. It is much fast then traveling there any other way. But it is very risky and you must hold tight." Snape explained. Harry just nodded and wrapped his arms round Snape's waist, leaning his head against the elder mans chest and squeezing his eyes tightly closed. He suddenly felt like has was being squashed into an infinite amount of tiny pieces only to be then push back together. His feet hit the floor with a thump and he almost fell over if it weren't for the fact Snape was squeezing his upper arm so tightly. He had a pounding headache and felt slightly sick.

"Are you ok Potter? You can open your eyes now." Snape asked.

"I feel a bit sick." replied Harry, opening his eyes and finding that they were in a darkened ally way.

"That's normal, it'll ware off in a bit."replied Snape letting go of his arm and walking off towards the exit, leaving Harry nothing to do but follow in his wake.

Once out in the open Harry found that they were right in the heart of London, there were shops everywhere. Snape walked over to a bench and motioned Harry to sit down on it. This caused Harry to blush as Snape was getting strange looks from the muggle shoppers as he was wearing a teaching cloak.

"Sir." Harry called to get the professors attention, "You don't exactly fit in very well." He finished when Snape had looked down at him. Snape just rolled his eyes and removed the outer cloak to reveal a fine emerald Jumper and white shirt collar sticking out the top, to Harry's surprise he was even wearing dark black jeans. Snape looked so much younger and more...normal then he otherwise does. Snape smirked at the expression across Harry's face.

"A little more 'normal' for you Potter?" he asked.

"Well...er...Yes sir." Harry answered. Snape just openly laughed whilst folding the cloak and placing it in a black back pack that Harry hadn't noticed before.

"Come along then." Snape called over his shoulder when he had finished putting his cloak away and walked off towards the closest clothes shop.

"Do you know what size you are Harry?" Snape asked him as he walked over to the male side of the shop.

"No Sir, I've never been clothes shopping for myself, but I think its done by ages for children." helped Harry. Snape's heart panged a little at Harry's statement but made sure not to let it show.

"Well, I guess that makes it a bit easier." replied Snape, walking over to sets of jeans and pulling a pair out in Harry's age and handing it to Harry. He then pulled out a t-shirt of the same size and directed Harry over to the changing rooms. "Try these on and then we know what to get after that, so you don't have to try everything and waste time." Harry pulled a face but went to do as he was told, re-appearing 5 minutes later with his baggy clothes changed with the better fitting ones.

"They look like they fit." said Snape, "How do they feel?"

"They feel fine. Perfect." reasoned Harry. Snape made a gesture that Harry should go get changed again, which Harry followed not wanting to anger the man here in public.

"Right, so now what do you like?" asked Snape when Harry emerged from the changing rooms. Harry just looked at him blankly. "Are you going to answer me Potter?"

"Yes...I..I...I'm just not use to being able to decide what I like." Harry admitted.

"Well I can't choose for you boy, so your going to have to find things you like or we'll be here all day. We're not leaving without you having any clothes." replied Snape, cursing the Dursleys in his mind.

It took Harry almost an hour and half to finally have 5 different pairs of trousers and a various array of t-shirts that he liked.

"Do you need some more underwear Harry?" asked Snape. Harry blushed a deep shade of red, causing the professor to smile at the boy's embarrassment.

"I er don't know." Harry replied timidly. Snape just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Well just grab some just incase.." Snape ordered as Harry walked over the stands, "And some socks!" He added as an after thought. Harry returned with a two packs of boxers and a set of socks. Snape took them off him and placed them in the basket before walking over to the check out.

"Wait, sir I don't have any money to pay for this." Harry said, worry written across his face.

"Its okay, Potter I've got it." reassured Snape.

"Oh, okay, well I'll pay you back when I get a chance to get some money out of Gringotts." promised Harry. Snape sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Harry, children shouldn't have to worry about things like that. Things like this are provided for you." Snape tried.

"But why should you?" Harry asked as he walked in front of Snape towards the check out. Suddenly a sharp grip to the top of his arm, spun him round fast as a crushing grip captured his chin and forced him to meet Snape's eyes.

"I do this because I care about your well being, I thought we went through this yesterday? Its like two steps forward and one step back with you Potter!" Snape almost snarled at the boy. Leaning down close so that only Harry could here him, "If you don't stop or bring this up again, I don't care about your past, you'll be over knee before you can blink and by the end you'll be sure I care, are we clear?" he whispered. Harry's eyes went wide at the threat.

"Y..you wouldn't...would you?" Harry squeaked. Snape just smirked at let go of his young charge, striding towards the till so he could pay. Harry stared after him, eyes full of horror.

'Note to self, never test that threat out!' Harry thought to himself, before walking and taking the bag off Snape who was holding it out to him.

Once outside Snape turned and walked in to a small looking shop that seemed to be rather empty. On further inspection Harry found to his surprise that it wasn't a shop but a little classic café. Snape took a seat at a small round table in the corner and started to look at the menu.

"Are you hungry?" Snape asked.

"A little." Harry admitted.

"Hmmm it is lunch time. What would you like?" Snape nodded, handing him the menu.

"Erm... Can I have a Ham and Cheese baguette?" He suggested. Snape just nodded approvingly.

After a few minutes a large lady, with her hair wrapped back in a bun walked over.

"Can I heeelp youuu?" She asked.

"Yes can we have 2 baguettes, one with ham and cheese and one with just cheese. And one pot of tea and a glass of coke. Thank you." Snape ordered.

"Sure thing Hun, won't be aa tick." She smiled before walking back out of the door she had entered which Harry assumed was the kitchen.

"After this I want to stop off at the book shop." Snape stated.

"What do you want in a muggle book shop?" Harry asked intrigued, after looking round and seeing there was nobody around.

"I think you find some of the large book shops in the muggle world have a secrete section for those of magical beings. There's a magic entrance that requires a password to get in that can only be seen by us. I want to look at the potions section. There should be a new book out on the latest techniques and processes." replied Snape.

"Oh," Harry nodded.

A short time later the woman reappeared with two plates of food.

"Ere ye go my lovelies." she said as she placed the plates down on the table and went to fetch their drinks. Harry didn't quite realize how hungry he was until he saw the food. By the time the lady came back he was half way through.

"Woah, slow down lil fella, you'll be sick!" She warned with a smile before disappearing again.

"She's quite right and it'll be your own fault." Snape added. Harry made a face, but slowed down at any rate. He didn't want to make the man mad.

When lunch was over, the pair carried on with their shopping spree around London, with Snape dragging him into various shops deciding that he needed ever more clothes. He would be relived when he finally got to go home.

Before long Harry found himself back outside Snape's house.

"When we get in I want you to go up to your room and hang your new clothes up. Dinner won't be long so don't take forever. When you come down bring your old baggy stuff down so we can get rid of it." Snape ordered whilst trying to find the door key.

"Yes sir...Are you ok?" Harry asked, watching as the potions professor struggled with his bags to try and find the key. "Why don't you just use your wand?"

Snape glared at him.

"In the middle of the muggle world are you stupid boy!" Snape snapped.

"Sorry." Harry hung his head. Eventually Snape found the key and proceeded to open the door.

When inside Harry rushed up to his room to put everything away. It took him a while as he spent more time admiring the fact that he had new clothes and how they looked, rather then putting them away.

A short time later, after he had put his own things away, Snape decided to look in on his ward and see how he was getting on with packing away.

"Harry." He called as he knocked on the door, pushing it open so he could see in to the room. "Have you finished?" He asked spying the lad sat in the gap between the end of the bed and the wardrobe. "Harry?" He called with a little more concern when he got no answer. Snape walked into the bedroom and over to the boy's side, taking in the picture before him. Harry sat curled in a protective ball, both fists full of baggy clothes. In front of him, gathered in a pile was all of his old clothes. Dudley's no doubt.

"Harry are you ok? Look at me." Snape called as he knelt beside him. Harry looked up, tears running down his cheeks.

"Whats happened? What is it?" Snape asked, his face full of concern. Harry just shook his head. Snape sighed and sat himself down beside the small boy pulling him in for a hug for the second time in two days. Harry wrapped his arms around Snape, resting his head on his shoulder greatful for the comfort.

"You can tell me you know." Snape tried.

"Should I really be getting rid of all these?" Harry asked.

"Do you like them?"

"No, I hate them, they're full of memories, but I mean what if I have to go back? They won't like the fact I've got all those new clothes. They'll want me in Dudley's cast offs, but even there still to good for me." Harry sniffed. Snape's arm tightened around Harry.

"Harry I promise you, your not going back, ok? We'll figure something out, but You'll never have to go back. Now come on, its time for dinner." Snape finished, easing himself up off the floor and holding his hand out to help Harry up. They walked down in to the kitchen together to find dinner was all set up and ready for them to eat.

Harry spent that evening after dinner, within Snape's company. He didn't want to go to bed, but he didn't want to be on his own either so he had no choice but to join Snape in the study. Although after a while, Harry realized he actually liked the older mans company. Snape was leant back in his arm chair. His recently bought book in hand. While Harry was sprawled over the floor, pen in hand drawing a picture of his favorite quiditch player, books open surrounding him in a circle so he could copy elements from each one.

After a while of silence, where Snape could no longer hear the scratch of quill on parchment, he glanced out the side of his book to watch the boy. He looked a lot more content then he was earlier. He seemed a lot more peace. Snape could help but allow himself a private smile at the sight of Harry, tongue slightly sticking out as he concentrated on copying from a book..

The next time there was a large break of silence Snape decided to have another peak. He was on chapter 4 of a rather boring book and was looking for a little distraction. He smiled when he saw Harry. Slumped over his page, hand with quill perched cautiously over a book, Harry's head resting on an arm. He was sound asleep. Finding the distraction he was after, Snape carefully shook Harry, awake enough to get him to stand up enough for Snape to lift him into his arms. But asleep enough that Harry wasn't embarrassed to be carried and fell asleep quickly when his head rested on Snape's shoulder as he carried him. Snape eased him into bed, spelling him into pajamas as he did so. He left the door open a crack after seeing to the Boy, so that a little bit of light shone in and he could check on the lad with out waking him when he went to bed an hour later.

**AN - What did you guys think? Please review :) I need your feed back! **


	11. Chapter 11 An Errand

**Oh Gawd! Sorry for taking so long! **

**I'll try to write a bit faster with the next chapter! :) Please review what you think - **

**About Harry's age, I haven't mentioned it before incase your worried you missed it, I'm honestly not too sure what age he is, if you've got any suggestions please let me know, otherwise I'll work it out in my mind and let you know in the next chapter :) - there is an appearance of an OC in the next few chapters - sorry if you don't like, but it helps with my story line :) - so please enjoy :P**

Harry awoke suddenly to a loud bang out on the landing outside his door. He quickly groped round the night stand for his glasses and went to see what was happening.

It was morning, the sunlight filtered from the huge window that framed the staircase. Harry found Snape with a rather large chest.  
>"Everything ok?" he asked announcing his presence.<br>"Oh Harry I didn't mean to wake you," Snape apologised. "Did you sleep well?"  
>"Fine thank- what are you doing?" Harry asked curiosity getting the better of him. Snape sighed and picked up the large chest which he had dropped.<br>"Ive got to go and run an errand for the day, I want you to stay here, do not and I mean under no circumstances are you to go outside-"  
>"What not even the garden?" Harry interrupted.<br>"Not even the garden, you must stay inside, do you understand me?" Snape pushes.  
>"Yeah I guess." Harry shrugged.<p>

Snape put the chest back down from where he had picked it up and sits on it, grabbing Harry's shoulders and pulling him to stand between his knees. Forcing him to look him in the eyes. Harry feels slightly uncomfortable in this position, his emotions jarring with each other, a small part of him wants to pull away, this is the bat of the dungeons who had made his life harder then it needed be for the past couple of years, but then the rest of him had adapted and even liked this newer softer side of Snape he had seen whilst he had been there. So he stayed put, just waiting to see what he has to say. 

"It is very important that you understand Me. You cannot leave the house. You don't need to worry about being seen in the house, just don't go out, don't open the door to anyone and don't answer the phone."  
>"But why?" Harry pushed.<br>Snape sighed.  
>"Harry you understand about my position in the order don't you?" He asked partly unsure what Harry knew and partly wanting the boy to think it through himself so that Snape could rest knowing the boy who lived understood the position he was in.<br>"That your some sort of spy?" Harry questioned, just shrugging his shoulders. Snape closed his eyes briefly before staring directly in those piercing green eyes.  
>"In simple basic terms, yes Harry, I'm a spy. And I have an errand I need to go on. So I need you to stay in here where the house can protect you incase people come looking. Not that anyone should mind you." Snape explained. He sighed standing back up to pick up his trunk and proceeding to walk down the stairs with it. Harry followed slowly behind him, stopping at the front door.<p>

"You'll be okay won't you?"

"I'll be fine" Harry reassured.

"Be good!"

"I will!" Harry snapped as Snape walked out of the door, closing and locking it behind himself.

Harry sighed, smiling to himself. Half a day without Snape was better then nothing. And he was in this huge house, he could do anything. He didn't need to worry about the consequences of not completing jobs by the time his Aunt and Uncle got back, heck he didn't even have to do any jobs. Now what was he going to do first?

He ran up the stairs heading for his bedroom, deciding it was probably best to get washed and changed first. Snape would not be happy if he came home to find Harry still in his pajamas in the middle of the day.

Now the first thing he decided he could do was have a little fun, he ran into the kitchen and grabbed a silver tray out of the cupboard along with some string from a nearby drawer and ran back up to his room. Grabbing the pillow off his bed, he quickly used the string to attach it to his head as a makeshift helmet. Approaching the top of the stairs, he took a deep breathe and placed the tray at the top before carefully climbing on top. On three he pushed himself over the edge of the top step in one fell swoop and whoosh! Off he went bumping down the stairs at a dizzying state, landing with an almighty bang against the wall.

He picked himself up and brushed himself straight. 'Guhh' he groaned to himself, maybe that wasn't such a good idea. He replaced the string and tray deciding against doing the same thing again as his head was starting to pound and he was worried of making a mark on the wall that Snape would notice. He spent the rest of the morning doing the things he had always wished to do but never got the chance.

He hoped from sofa to sofa in the living room whilst singing "I will survive" to himself the entire time. He pulled out some paints he found hidden at the back of a cupboard in the kitchen and spent a good few hours painting fantasy quiditch matches of the future.

After a while Harry decided to glance up at the clock and gasped to find it was almost lunchtime. He quickly packed up the wizard board game that he had been messing with, putting it back on the shelf he had gotten it from in the drawing room.

Walking into the kitchen Harry found that lunch was already set. Deciding against waiting for Snape, he got stuck in helping himself to various sandwiches full of different types of filling, pieces of pork pie, hunters pie. There were so many different flavours of crisps that Harry had a hard time picking just one and so settled on a little bit from all. He ate is all down hungrily after having such an active morning.

When he had finished, he glanced up at the clock again. 1PM. Snape was late. That's strange, he not normally late for anything. Harry decided to shrug it off, maybe this errand is taking a little longer then Snape had planned. With that he pushed it to the back of his mind, walking into the drawing room and pulled out a book on quiditch which had fast become his favourite.

It had exclusive biographies of every player on all of the current popular teams, intricate manovers mapped out and of course the hall of fame of the Quiditch world. He could spend hours pouring over the pictures.

In fact he did. He only gage'd it was starting to get later as he watched the sun track it's way across the sky. Harry started to worry as it got later and later.

It wasn't long till the clock read a few minutes until midnight.

Harry started to freak out, surely Snape wouldn't leave him to spend a night on his own?

He started to pace back and forth in front of the fire place when he heard the sounds of someone moving in the livingroom. Harry froze listening intently. As quietly as he could he picked up the heaviest book he could find off the shelf and tip toe'd down the hall.

He peered in carefully to spy a figure in a black cloak hunched over the fireplace.

"You should be in bed boy. Can I not trust you to go to bed at a decent time?!" Snape hissed.

"Snape!" Harry cried in relief, dropping the book. "You said you'd be back at 12."

"Yeah well it took long then I planned." Snape snarled as he limped over to the couch, sitting with a hiss of pain.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, suddenly full of concern rushing to Snape's side.

"Go to bed Harry."

"No let me help!"

"Harry! Just go to bed!"

"NO!" Harry shouted determined to help Snape. Snape glared at Harry for shouting at him, but gave in deciding he was in no fit state to force the boy to bed or to help himself really.

"Go into my lab in the basement and get the pain relief potion off the second shelf." Snape ordered. Harry rushed to obey, running into the lab and over to the shelves. Looking up, he found that the shelves were a lot taller then he was and so quickly he grabbed a chair, pulling it over for him to stand on so that he could reach the potion Snape needed.

"I got it!" Harry cried, running back to the elder man. Snape took the offered potion, ripping the cork out and gulping back the entire thing in one swig.

It made him feel slightly sick but that would soon be replaced with the relief of pain. Carefully, he gently pushed himself up off the couch, swaying slightly with the effort. Harry rushed to his side and helped prop him up.

Snape struggled to fight the urge to growl at the boy to get off him, he kept reminding himself the chil was just worried and trying to help.

Together the pair made their way down the hall and up the stairs at a gentle pace that suited Snape as he limped along.

Snape forced Harry to let go of him once they reached Harry's bedroom door.

"Bed Harry." Snape ordered gently. "I'll be fine." He added at the panicked look Harry gave him.

"Really?"

"Yes, Harry, Really. Now go on it's late..."

Harry nodded solemnly as he walked into his bedroom turning on the light as he went.

"Oh and breakfast will be slightly later tomorrow. It wont be served until we're both up." Snape added from the doorway, before he moved off in the direction of his own room.

Once the door shut behind him, Snape leaned back against it breathing heavily. Today was a narrow miss, but he couldn't go on and do this forever. For one thing he was going to have to stop Harry from finding out what happened. He was only young as it was. It wasn't fair the pressure he had on his shoulders already without having to worry about Snape in the service of the Dark Lord.

He closed his eyes briefly, calming himself before starting to de-cloak. Preparing himself mentally to deal with the damage of the latest run in with the Dark lord himself.

He stood in front of the full length mirror, carefully removing each offending layer until he was stood bare except for his boxers. He grimaced looking at the sight before him. His once pale skin, that still held its original colour in some patches, was covered in small cris-crossing cuts. Scattered with the odd huge gash down his side.

It wasn't as bad as it had been in the past, but it still wasn't a walk in the park. Snape pulled a bottle of anti-septic lotion from out the top draw of his dresser and began to carefully apply the lotion on his abused skin, hissing at every touch. He paused every now and then the sting building up to such an intensity he wanted to cry, every time biting down hard on his fist to stop himself from crying out and alerting Harry to his pain.

The Dark Lord could be one sick bastard at times.

Harry felt a bit rejected by Snape's dismissal of him, it wasn't like he was useless, he could have help Snape. He sighed, quickly running his hand through his hair before changing into his pajamas. As he lay back in bed he thought about what Snape cold have been up to, his reasons for his errand this morning were a little bit cryptic, not that most the time the man was very crypitc. He yawned. No, it was no use, he was simply going to have to try and force answers out of Snape, like that was going to be easy, he laughed to himself.

At least he could have a long lie in this morning... Although that would be good if he oculd actually get to sleep.

The next morning, felt like it came far to fast for Harry, who felt like he had hardly got any sleep at all; Finally falling asleep as the sun started to peak through the window. He stretched out his stiff limbs as he rolled out of bed, swiping his glasses off the bedside table and slipping them on to his face to read the time.

10:30am... Well at least wasn't joking when he talked about a late breakfast, if he was Harry was sure the man would have stormed into his room hours ago.

He stumbled his way down the stairs, still dressed in his pajamas, his hair toussled in all directions. Snape was stood by the kitchen counter, drinking a mug of what looked like tea. Breakfast was layed out on the table.

"Morning." Harry greeted.

"Good morning Harry." Snape greeted back, as Harry took his seat ready to get stuck in to breakfast.

"How are you feeling?" He asked without looking up from his plate.

"I am fine. Thank you. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I guess." Harry lied. Snape just nodded, accepting his answer.

A few moments passed by of companionable silence until Snape decided to speak up.

"Harry, what happened to one of my best silver trays whilst I was away?..." Snape asked casually as he took his seat across from him.

Harry's eyes shot towards Snape at the mention of the tray. How did he know?

"...Only it looks like someone's dragged it along the floor whilst dragging something heavy." Snape added, casually glancing at Harry from over his tea. Harry looked flabbergasted. How was he going to get out of this one?

"Well...er...I-"

Suddenly the door bell rang, startling Harry from his thoughts. Snape looked towards the door confused.

"Who could that be at this time?" he muttered, more to himself, then Harry as he rose to answer it. Harry shrugged following Snape out of the door, interested to see who it was.

"I'm coming!" Shouted Snape as the bell rang for the fifth time in the space of a few moments, just before Snape got to the door. "Yes?!" Snape snarled at whoever had dared ring the bell so many times.

"Proffessor Snape?

"Yes?"

"I'm Professor Lux, the new defence against the dark arts teacher."

TBC

**I hope you guys liked the latest chapter and that you can't wait for the next :) please review, it always makes my day to know what you guys think :P**


End file.
